


Sweet Apple

by Angelscythe



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Angst, Dark Fairy Tale Elements, Fairy Tale Retellings, M/M, Miklan & Sylvain are acting in brothers, Multi, No sex scene but sensuality and sexuality elements, True Love's Kiss, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-20
Updated: 2020-11-26
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:28:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 18
Words: 40,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25401646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angelscythe/pseuds/Angelscythe
Summary: Mirror, Mirror with golden frame tell me, tell me what could bring a joyful servant; a fox-slave & the favorite nephew of the King together?---It has been one year since the Count Gloucester took Holst and Hilda Goneril under his wing. It has been one year since he asks Holst to do absolutely every chore under the eyes of his personnal pets, the two brothers Gautier. Everything was going under his plan, until the day, by a happy accident, Holst encounters Glenn. A ghost from the past, a hint of hope...And the elements that could go across Gloucester's plans.
Relationships: Background - Hilda Valentine Goneril/Dedue Molinaro, Felix Hugo Fraldarius & Glenn Fraldarius, Felix Hugo Fraldarius/Sylvain Jose Gautier, Glenn Fraldarius/Holst Goneril/Miklan, Hilda Valentine Goneril & Holst Goneril, Sylvain Jose Gautier & Holst Goneril, Sylvain Jose Gautier & Miklan
Kudos: 8





	1. The Waltz of Chores

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!!!  
> Thank you for your interest in this fic!!! I'm so excited!!!  
> I tried to correct it as much as possible but english isn't my first language and I've dislexia so I hope it doesn't hold too many mistakes.  
> Anyway, I wish you a lot of fun there!! Thank you again and don't forget to wash your hands, wear a mask, hydrate yourself and that you're awesome and loved!!! You can do it! I believe in you!!!!!

Once upon a Time, there was a big Country divided in three different regions. One was ruled by the King Lambert Egitte Blaiddyd, a brave happy man who would always hold out his hand to people; one was ruled by his stepdaughter, the young Empress Edelgard Von Hresvelg who recently took back her region despite her young age when her father died; and the last one… saw the Duke who ruled it die not such a long time ago either. Letting the region without any heir, since his daughter had disappeared and his son died and his testament had vanished as well…

Letting the Dominion without anyone to rules it, his old adviser, Rothschild Perseus Gloucester offered to take care of the affairs, the politics and everything else.

And since then…

Nothing seemed to be right.

And yet, the Sun still rose every morning. And this morning, it passed through the tiny window of one as tiny room and caressed a naked body, brushing the face and calling them to wake up. They stretched, pushing away the long wavy pink hair from their chest and their fingers, broken by many hours of works, moved in a red forest.

“Eh, tough guy…” they whispered, leaning on the lips slightly open.

The man groaned.

“I’m about to leave to work. Do you have five minutes?”

“Holst…” the big redhead groaned.

And then, his hands cupped his behind and he made him swirl in the bed. While the bed moaned in protestations, Holst laughed, passing his arms around the broad shoulders.

“You’d better manage to get a whole half-hour, Sunshine,” the redhead groaned at his ear.

“Miklan,” Holst whispered, in bliss, his fingers pressing on the dark collar adorning his neck.

His other hand passed in the red mane while he kissed the scar on the harsh face.

**_SLAP._ **

The sound echoed in the room.

Holst almost fell and certainly would have if Miklan hadn’t caught him and forced him to stand again. On the corner of the room, a slightly tinier and way more beautiful version of Miklan moved from the wall but a cold look from his big brother forced him to stay still, an angry expression on his face…

“I allow you in my house, I give you food, I give you a shelter in bad shelter, I allow your sister to live here and do nothing except lazy around and when I ask you _one little thing_ you can’t do it?!” Rothschild Perseus Gloucester roared.

“I was…”

“Busy having sex with the first idiot you found, like always!” Rothschild replied.

Holst stayed silent. One of the first things the man knew about him was this constant desire in his guts. This desire of sharing very intimate moments with someone, to feel them in the most special way. This was, to his opinion, the sweetest thing about Holst and when he tried to have him in his bed, Holst refused.

Every time.

And Holst was sure the man showed hatred to him because of that.

“Do your chores,” Rothschild commanded. He turned toward him, a parchment in his hand, and stared at him. He was almost sure that short with a heavy veil opening on his right leg used to be a curtain he asked him to throw away… “You will pay if you don’t do what I expect from you.” He walked toward him. “Or I’ll throw your sister outside,” he said close to him.

“If you touch me, that’s the last thing you will do,” Holst warned.

“I could throw your sister outside.”

“I could tear away your family jewels.”

Rothschild lifted his hand. Holst stared at him, right in the eyes. When the Stewart of the Dominion let down his hand, it was to give him that parchment. Holst took it and stepped away before leaving the room.

Miklan stared at Gloucester.

“What are you waiting for following him?!” the man groaned.

The big redhead bowed deeply in front of him then turned away to come outside.

“Sylvain,” he called.

“Yes!”

The other redhead left his corner and quickly followed him.

“Holst,” Miklan said, walking toward him.

“I don’t have much time,” Holst gently replied, his eyes on the so huge list.

He had the feeling he kept and kept unrolling.

“I will help you,” Sylvain said. “Give me half the list.”

“Thank you, you’re so sweet!” Holst said, hugging him and caressing his hair.

“It’s fine. Give, give!”

Holst didn’t care much about Rothschild’s opinion. Of course the man was allowing somewhere to stay, somewhere _Hilda_ could stay and be happy. But he gave her his clothes because they didn’t get enough. He even gave her some of his food because he was afraid she would miss it. He was working all day long and he could talk to no one.

Or almost no one because he always managed to talk to one or two people.

In fact, he wasn’t supposed to talk with Miklan and Sylvain but he was delighted he crossed what was forbidden to him.

Holst turned his head toward Miklan as Sylvain moved away with the list of chores. The big redhead shook his head, saying ‘nothing’ in this way.

“Very well. You don’t have to stay.”

“You know I have to.”

“If only it was because you were obsessed by me,” he sighed.

“I am obsessed with you,” Miklan replied.

He wanted to hold him in his big arms but Holst had already stepped away, almost running to go toward Hilda’s room. He had much to do before that but he didn’t care, he wanted to see Hilda first!

He knocked at the door and threw a look to Miklan.

To be honest? He wasn’t surprised to see him bow in front of him as he opened the door. Technically, Miklan was supposed to come inside with him but he always let him alone with Hilda. The very first weeks, he stayed with them, but over the course of time, the man just let them together. And that was that sweet attention that made Holst getting interested to him and the professional relationship’s line had been very quickly crossed. It had been almost one year now…

And if there wasn’t this beautiful flower, lying on her bed, if this wasn’t his precious little flower, this relation could certainly have been the sweetest thing of this new life.

“My Princess!”

“Holst!”

Hilda jumped from her bed and dashed to him. He lifted her, hugging her tenderly and she passed her arms around his shoulders.

“I miss your hugs,” she said with a little sigh. “You should pass more time with me, brother!” she protested, pouting.

“I should.”

“You should sleep with me! I’m the one who needs your hugs at night. Hooolst, promise me you would give me lots of hugs.”

“I promise,’ he said. “All my hugs belong to you,” he whispered.

He hugged her a bit more, caressing her hair.

The truth was that, at first, Hilda was supposed to have chores too but he knew what it would be for her to do all those chores, passing from a family where no one let her do anything then another one where everybody was under her charm… of course, he was the one the most under her charm and he would do everything for her. Saving her from being hit and insulted because she asked others to do her chores included. His heart would shatter if she had to live even one percent of what he had to live…

“I have lots of work, my Princess, but I wanted to see you. I miss you so much.”

“My brother,” she said with a desperate sigh. “We eat together, right?”

Holst nodded.

“Can’t I find a pretty guard to help you with your chores?”

“I found a pretty redhead to help me with the chores!” Holst smiled.

“Ah!! You finally followed my advice! With such a pretty body you offer to him, he totally should give you something in return!” she grinned.

“You’re the best for not doing anything, right?” he smirked. “But I didn’t mean that redhead.”

“Oh, Sylvain! So sweet of him,” she gushed over.

“Yes!”

“Come here!” she said.

She jumped on the floor and passed backward, taking his hand to bring him toward her bed.

“What is it?”

“Hush, hush, hush!”

She let him next to the mattress. Everything was pretty her and she lived like a Princess here. It was what he wished for her. When he believed he had nowhere to sleep except by the hearth, at the very beginning. Of course, she always had welcomed him in her bed so he could sleep somewhere and feel good. They could have hugged gently and tenderly. And now, he was sleeping in that very tiny room where Miklan rested at night.

All mattered was that Hilda was happy, comfortably installed…

Hilda took something in her nightstand and then turned toward Holst. Like always, he was holding all his wavy hair on one side, the other being cut quite short. It was the mode of the Leicester Dominion, after all. But Hilda wasn’t very into that kind of mode. She wanted to be pretty and unique. But for her brother, she took a hairpin with a flower crystallized with pink crystals and she pined the tinier side of his hair, smiling.

“Here! It’s for you!”

“I’m so happy,” Holst whispered, pressing his hands on his mouth. “I did not have the time to see it well but waw!!! I don’t doubt it’s beautiful because you did it!”

“You are so flattering when you want to,” she smiled.

“I’m telling the truth! You’re my true love!” he said, hugging her. “I’m so blessed!”

“Thank you. Let me look at your face.” She pulled away. “Hmmm, yes! You definitely need a bit of make up. Give me a few seconds!”

“You have them!”

The man really had a lot of chores but he wanted to be with her. He would work until the Sun sets if needed. It was fine. The only thing was that he hoped for some break moments. Five minutes here or there could be enough.

Hilda gently held her brother’s face and started to take care of him.

More or less fifty minutes later, she smiled as she looked a glittering contouring, soft pink lip, a pink line following the contour of his eyes. And she couldn’t do way more because he couldn’t stay and they did not have much product for that. She actually had to make some of hers by melting and mixing some remaining she received from here or there…

“You look perfect!” she said.

“You make me perfect!” he smiled, hugging her. “Thank you so much, my Princess. I have to let you alone but know I love you so much and I miss you already.”

“I miss you so much when you’re not there. I will be so bored without you…”

“I will do my chores fast to spend time with you.”

He pressed his lips on her knuckles and noticed the lipsticks mark on it. Hilda noticed it too.

“Don’t you dare, Holst Prudentia Goneril or I stop making you jewelry.”

“Those words are so hard to hear!” Holst sighed.

He hugged her a last time and pulled away, his parchment list in his hand, and he stepped outside of the room. He blew her a kiss and closed the door.

Miklan opened the eyes at the second he heard the sound of it and looked at Holst. Which sadly smiled and tugged on the hard collar to make him bend and pressed a kiss on his cheek, spreading the pink color on it.

“Here you are!”

Miklan touched his cheek.

“Don’t touch too much, you would remove it,” Holst smiled as he turned away.

He knew the list by heart and he knew what he had to do or not. Checking the list was more to see if there weren’t new chores to do. This day looked like one of those days… He had the feeling to have given so much to Sylvain. If he finished everything soon enough, he would come to take back a bit of his burden to the young man.

He knew the list by heart but even if it was never on his list, Holst went to a special room in those corridors and he glanced at Miklan as his fist brushed the door.

Months ago, Miklan had told him ‘you’re asking me too much, Sunshine’; today, Miklan just watched at him before moving away. He knew where he will find Holst. Him too, he knew that damn list by heart. He saw him doing that every day. The red burn on his knees was only due to that list unfortunately, as well as his nails in such a sad shape, his hair, his hands, his feet…

And Holst never protested.

Holst always smiled.

And that was probably the reason why Miklan was willing to yield to every of his desires.

He was enthralled by him.

And if he could have done everything he wanted, if he could have the power to remove every star from the sky, he would have given them to Holst. Just to see him smile.

For real.

Holst pushed open the door of the room after three knocks and he approached the bed there with a big mount created by the blankets.

“Look like the Monster under the bed decided to go inside of it!”

“That’s not funny!” a shaking voice protested. “You know Pitch only like it under the bed!”

“I know, I know. My mistake. But if you try to hide yourself from my hugs, that mountain of blankets won’t help you!”

“As if!” the weak voice protested. “You would never if I refuse!”

“But do you?”

The blankets moved and a tiny purple head appeared, looking at the arms held out to her. She bit her lower lip and pushed away the remains of the blankets to come in his arms and receive a hug.

“He said yesterday meal was disgusting and if I did that again…”

“He is an asshole. I tasted it and it was delicious, Bernie…”

“But it doesn’t matter.” She closed her hands over the top made with old rags tied together. “I don’t want to go there.”

“Bernie… You know you need to do it. Have fun with the plates and if he doesn’t like it, I’ll have a talk with him,” Holst smiled, encouraging.

“But what will you do?” she asked.

“I don’t know yet. I’ll see. Have fun and the meals will be so delicious already!” Holst could see the doubt in her eyes and he gently hugged her more. “You’re doing alright, Bernie. I won’t let anyone hurt you…”

“Thank you. But… you come with me to the kitchen, don’t you?” she asked with a little voice.

“Yup!”

Technically, Holst wasn’t the kind of people she would like to hang out with. He always attracted looks and interest. When he was around, she always had the feeling people were coming around her and it frightened her so much! But at the same time, Holst managed to never have them around her or even noticing her. And being invisible to their looks was at least reassuring and relieving…

And he was always so supportive and kind.

The Sun was starting to set but Holst was far away from finishing his chores of the day… In the big yard of the Mansion, he was singing a song as he approached the well and threw the bucket into it. He drew one bucket, two buckets, pouring them in a bigger container and as he was supposed to take another one, he laid on the well’s stones.

“My poor little hands are so hurt… If only someone could lend me a hand…” he sighed.

“Holst…” Miklan sighed.

Holst gently pushed the curtain from his leg, uncovered the skin taking some soft color with the Sun turning red. He bit his lower lip, looking at Miklan who approached the well with a sigh.

“Every fucking day,” he groaned. “I should push you in that well.”

“You wouldn’t dare!”

Holst smiled and sat next to him, pressing his hands on his shoulder as Miklan leaned over the well to draw the water. He couldn’t help humming this soft song and Miklan couldn’t help wanting to throw this bucket on the well to hold Holst instead. Every day, he resisted to those big and soft eyes, every day, he resisted to this voice because if Holst didn’t finish his work on time…

But today, the day where he had lost way enough time like that, he wanted to yield to his instincts.

“Excuse me? Is there anybody here?” a voice came from the other side of the big wall surrounding the yard. “Can you help me?”

Holst moved away from Miklan, threw away his shoes and dashed to the wall he climbed with too much ease. Miklan groaned his name, letting the bucket fall in the well, but Holst was already kneeling on the huge wall, and his eyes just brushed a man bearing the more than famous Emblem of the Fraldarius House…


	2. The Kinght in the Wood

Looking by the window of a carriage, his chin laying in his palm, the elbow brushing that window, Felix Hugo Fraldarius let out an umpteenth sigh. This was so boring… The scenery was always the same: forest, forest, forest, forest… sometimes a bit of rock or a hill, more grass, but in a general thing, it was trees and trees wherever you might look. This was _so boring_.

Landscapes and politics made that they were supposed to cross the Alliance of Leicester, or what it remained of it, to bring the precious package they were carrying to Enbarr… Politics forced them to go to Derdriu to find only a city left to ruins with a rise of the violence and beggars hoping just a bit of interest from anyone.

Now, they were supposed to go the Dominion of Gloucester because the Count ruling it was the only one who could allow them to cross the Great Bridge of Myrddin from this side. Plus, they were supposed to come salute him in absence of any higher ruler. But Felix still believed they should have walked through the mountains of the Hevring’s Dominion. He still firmly believed they even could have asked to the Monastery of Garreg Mach to open their arms to them. The only advantage this travel had until now was the fact they needed to have Ingrid with them to cross the Territory of Daphnel without risking any political affront.

But the Alliance had to be that boring?

Well… he supposed it was better to see forests rather than ruins…

“Can you stop sighing?” Ingrid groaned when he sighed again.

Felix stared at her, right in the eyes and deeply sighed.

“You both stop,” Dimitri warned with a firm tone.

Felix glanced at him and held back his sigh as he looked again toward the window. Dimitri pushed a blond strand from his eyes and glanced outside as well.

“We will arrive soon, Felix. We will make a halt in a little town not far away from the Capital’s Dominion.”

“Yeah…”

“I never met that Count Gloucester before,” Dimitri confessed with a bit of nervousness. “Father should have been here.”

“You will do perfectly good,” Ingrid said, pressing her hand on his shoulder.

“And if you have any doubts toward that man, you know you don’t risk anything.”

Dimitri looked up and smiled slightly. “Glenn…”

“What?” he replied, mirroring his smile. “You know anyone wanting to touch one of your hairs would have to wrestle over my dead body.”

“Don’t say that,” Felix protested.

“Jealous baby, you too!”

Glenn leaned and kissed his cheek.

“You know it’s not that,” Felix groaned.

“I won’t die,” he replied taking a ribbon to tie Felix’s hair with it.

“When you will be done with him, can you do my hair?” Ingrid asked.

“Your hair is…” Glenn smirked when he saw her untie her long blond mane. “Very well. I’m almost done with my little treasure, here!”

“Gleeeeenn!” Felix protested.

But he couldn’t help smiling as he was hugged.

Who cared that he was here as one of the closed guard of Dimitri? As a warrior? He would always been Glenn’s little brother and he lived for that…

“It doesn’t change that all of this is boring!” Felix groaned. “How long are we supposed to stay there? How long are we supposed to stay in Adrestia?!”

“Always pouting and being grumpy,” Glenn said, squeezing his brother’s cheeks.

“You’re not better sometimes,” Ingrid smiled.

“You have chance I like you or I would have been so mean,” he replied, his arms coming around Felix.

“We might stay a couple of days here. Father warned them we will come but we have to ask for an audience and perhaps the Count Gloucester can’t accept us immediately? I heard he has to rule the whole Region since one year and he wasn’t prepared to that.”

“Bullshit,” Glenn groaned. “He is a Count. Don’t tell me he wasn’t ready to rule. He is supposed to rule his Territory and so he already owns the keys to do better… The Capital was in such a state… I don’t understand. One thing is sure…” Glenn held out his hand to Ingrid who got up to come sit on his lap. Felix couldn’t help pout and pulled away, looking outside again. “You won’t go there alone, Dimitri.”

“I thought Dedue would join me,” Dimitri said, glancing to the tall man next to him.

Ingrid having moved, he looked a bit more at his ease. Not that he didn’t enjoy her presence but here, he could have more room. He should have sat with the Fraldarius since the beginning…

“I value Dedue very much but you will have to deal with me, Dimitri. You can’t say you refuse. It’s my task to protect you. And I don’t know this guy.”

“I know I can’t stop you,” Dimitri grumbled. “You can come if you want to. But no one else!”

“I don’t know why we are here, then,” Ingrid sighed.

“You do know why you are here,” Dimitri replied.

She did. She knew it was because she was linked to the Daphnel’s Territory and her presence was equivalent to a pass. That Judith wasn’t really glad to see them use a shortcut to get what they wanted but well…

And as for Felix… Glenn just preferred having him by his side.

“Can we hunt?” Felix asked, as he just saw pass a big bird through the forest.

“Felix,” Dimitri said with a little smile.

“What?”

“You’re unbelievable.”

“It’s not such a bad idea,” Ingrid protested. “We should make a contest. One hour to bring a prey and the one with the bigger prey win!” Glenn frowned but she wasn’t over. “We won’t need as much meat, of course, so we could bring some to those needing it?”

She had grown in Grounds were food was always lacking and she knew how important it was not to thrown away any food. Except if you really had no choice. It wasn’t because they were Nobles in travel that they have to act as if the food wasn’t a matter to care about.

And after having seen Derdriu… damn, she hadn’t said it to them but to her, it was just like coming back home. And she didn’t want to come back home, especially when it wasn’t really home. She just didn’t want to see the same things display again and again through the Country. Through Countries.

“I think it’s a good idea,” Dimitri said.

“But you don’t stay alone,” Glenn decided. “Dedue…”

“Yes, Sir Fraldarius, I will keep an eye on him,” he swore.

“Thank you.”

Glenn glanced at Felix.

“No! I go alone,” Felix decided firmly. “I’m seventeen years old, Glenn! I’m not a child. And you were already doing much more than me alone when you were already fifteen! I can hunt.”

Glenn stared at him.

“It will be fine, I can find my way through the forest, I won’t lose myself,” Felix smirked.

The irony was that…

 _He_ lost himself.

He had followed that big deer, wanting to slay her down and, following her, he had lost himself. He was sure he was far away from the city now. Far away from the inn…

He saw constructions as he kept walking, after having lost that deer, but he was pretty sure it wasn’t the town. It looked more dull and Noble at once…

Here was something Felix will make fun of. He didn’t doubt he would find him back, his bow at the hand, sitting on the corpse of a boar, teasing Dimitri, in the limit of friendship and resent. And then, they would tease him… The Big… well Brave Knight Glenn Victor Fraldarius, losing himself in the forest…

But…

Wait…

He just heard… What was that? This was the sweetest voice, the most beautiful melody he never heard until now. He walked toward it and, as suddenly as he heard it, it vanished…

Did he imagine it?

Was he turning mad?

Was he losing himself to the delights of the woods, of the spirits living here, whisperings secrets Humans couldn’t hear?

He kept moving toward the sound, hoping.

And the sound came back. A hum, soft, enthralling… A hum that seemed to ask… love?

He approached the big walls seeming to surround the Mansion. He didn’t see any flag telling him who was living here…

“Excuse me? Is there anybody here?” he called. “Can you help me?” he asked, out of despair.

No more sound.

But he wasn’t that surprised: if it was someone, he might have frightened them.

After a few seconds, a head appeared above the well and then a guy who leaned toward the edge. A man, it seemed, with long wavy pink hair sliding in front one of his shoulder. He saw his smile, his pink eyes shining under the Sun setting. Glenn couldn’t move anymore, blown away by this face… his smile.

“H… Hello.”

“Hello,” the guy smiled from his wall. “You needed help?”

“Holst, come here!” a voice roared from the other side of the wall.

“Yeah… I’m not from here and I lost myself in the forest. Can you help me go back to the town?”

“Oh, my dear! Yes I had to go to the town, wait!”

The said Holst jumped from the wall. Glenn moved forward to catch him up and they both seemed surprised when Holst fell on him, their forehead hitting against each other. Holst let out a laugh.

“I’m so sorry.”

“I’m sorry,” Glenn replied rubbing Holst’s forehead.

“That’s fine. Guess I fell for you,” Holst winked.

Glenn blushed like never he did before.

“I… are you hurt?” he asked, helping him to get up.

“HOLST!!!” a voice roared on the other side.

Holst grabbed Glenn’s hand, making him get up and hide behind him… even thought Glenn was at least fifteen centimeters tinier so it wasn’t very efficient.

With a big leap, the guy from the other side jumped from the wall and Glenn swore the earth shook. He felt Holst’s arm around his and he froze. The big redhead guy, at least two meters tall, all muscles, rage and scars, even scarier because he was only wearing black, his cape almost hiding some of his features, stared at Glenn too. Stared at Holst who looked at him with this smile full of mischief, and those eyes full of desire…

“Miklan! My new friend and I will go to the town! Do you come with us?!”

The big brown eyes brushed Glenn’s hand, resting on the shiny pommel of his sword.

Miklan groaned, removed his cape and approached Holst. Which looked at him with surprise when he received it around him, the big fingers tying the lace and pushing the hood over his face.

“And what’s your new friend’s name?” he asked.

“I don’t know…” Holst let out, surprised.

He expected Miklan to grab him, throw him on the other side of the wall; throw him on his shoulder and climb the wall… Anything but that.

Miklan who always forbidden him to talk even with the guards, to the point Holst still wondered if the guy was that jealous or if Rothschild Perseus Gloucester was that much trying to imprison himself while putting no chains on him…

This man was letting him leave to the town?

With a stranger?!

“I am Glenn Victor Fraldarius,” Glenn replied with a cold tone, staring at Miklan.

“It’s fine,” Holst whispered, noticing the hand on the pommel too. “Miklan is my friend. He guards me,” he smiled. “And he’s doing a good job. I’m insufferable, he said!!!”

“You are,” Miklan groaned.

“He guards you…” Glenn repeated.

As he glanced at Holst, he seemed to notice his naked feet, his sleeveless crop-top made of different fabric and that short adorned with a veil only covering half his legs. While he looked like he was wearing rag, he also looked so elegant…

Glenn had thought he was just a servant at first but perhaps he was more? The jewel in his hair was so elegant…

“Yeah! But tell us, how have you managed to lose yourself?” Holst smiled.

“I was hunting and, following my prey, I didn’t realize I was losing sense of where I was,” Glenn replied.

“You must have been struck by bad luck to end up here,” Holst replied with a sorry tone, squeezing his arm gently. “Come, I’ll show you the way!”

Glenn thanked him and looked at his face as they started to walk in the woods.

“Is it a horrible place?” Glenn asked.

“Yeah,” Miklan groaned.

“It’s fine,” Holst said. Miklan and Holst glanced at each other… “It’s just… special,” he smiled.

“Special? I can slay them down!”

“Why?” Holst asked, in surprise.

“If you need to be protected. You have a guard, you talk _that way_ about your home…”

Holst pressed a kiss on his cheek, squeezing kindly his arm.

“Thank you. You’re really sweet. But let’s talk about _you_. Your colors, your name… You’re not from here, isn’t it? I mean…”

“I came from Faerghus,” Glenn approved. “I’m in a political mission and I wanted to take a break.”

“I understand.”

“Are you alone?” Miklan asked, walking behind them.

Glenn tensed and looked above his shoulder.

“To what house are you affiliated?” he asked back.

“Goneril’s… I swore my allegiance to Holst.”

As he looked at him, Holst couldn’t help being surprised. And also softly moved by such words. From what he knew, Miklan always served Gloucester and now telling he showed his allegiance to _him_?!

“I see…” Glenn said. “Thank you for showing me the way. I will try to remember it.”

“Remember it? You want to come back?”

Miklan’s tone was so cold, unwelcoming.

“Why not,” Glenn replied, gently smiling to Holst.

Which smiled, loving to hear such words. For him?

He knew people got interested to him, often, but in a general way, it was people who knew about his almost constant desires. They wanted to take advantage of it. And he hated that. But Glenn knew nothing of this and his eyes were softly caressing him. He appreciated that. He really did. He wanted to take his hand. He didn’t want him to know…

He didn’t want to think someone liked him only because he seemed to be always open for _this kind_ of love. Even with Miklan, he doubted. They liked each other, they talked, they were always together but… what was it between them?

“I don’t know if it’s a good idea to come back but…” He slid his hand in Glenn’s and smiled when he felt him intertwining their fingers. “I would be very glad to see you again.”

Glenn couldn’t help smiling as he was walking.

“But how long will you stay?” Holst wondered.

“Just a couple of days.”

“I see.”

Glenn immediately noticed his tone a bit sadder and, to be honest, he too felt… a bit sad.

“But…”

Holst smiled at him, interrogation in his eyes.

“You can send me letter! You can send them to the King of Faerghus and be sure they will come at me.”

“The King of Faerghus, no less!”

Glenn let out a laugh, a bit nervous.

“Well! I’m a Knight of the King, after all!”

“Really?”

“Yes. Look.”

Glenn stopped to show the spur at his shoes.

“Ah! Miklan, look at that!” Holst smiled. “It’s so elegant!”

“So you can ride?” Miklan asked.

“You don’t ask people you just met if they ride,” Holst said with a knowing tone.

But, of course, Glenn couldn’t know anything of what happened in a bed or… outside of a bed in the case of those and just shrugged.

“I can’t. I’m very bad at riding, in fact,” he let out with an annoyed laugh.

“Oh really?” Holst asked.

“Yeah. It changes nothing that I will fight for my country until my last breath.”

“Bullshit,” Miklan groaned. “It’s that way.”

As he pointed the direction, he pushed Glenn in the back, making him walk. The Knight threw him a look and Holst moved his hand toward him, hesitating to take it back. Could he?

“I think it’s nice you have such a good relationship with your King! As for our Duke, I mean the Duke who ruled the Alliance last year, I was…”

“HOLST!” Miklan roared.

Holst stepped backward in surprise.

“It’s fine,” Glenn said, his hand on his pommel. “I have no reason to hurt Holst, even if he is close to the previous Duke. I just would have a question…”

“You have no questions,” Miklan said, stepping between them.

“That’s fine, Miklan! Leave him alone!” Holst protested.

“I’m not afraid of you,” Glenn warned, looking the man that was almost forty centimeters taller than him.

He has his head in his pectorals and he had to hurt his nape to look at him in the eyes.

But he wasn’t afraid.

Miklan smirked and held out his hand, ready to grab him at the throat.

Suddenly, Miklan fell and, once again, Glenn swore he could have felt the earth shaking. He blinked when he saw Holst sitting on the chest of the man, his knees anchoring in the floor and almost squeezing his neck.

“I said it’s enough,” Holst said, his voice steady and firm.

“Holst!” Miklan protested.

The naked knees were almost entering in the pikes adorning his collar.

“Holst, it’s fine,” Glenn said, gently taking his hand. He tugged on it and made him got up. “That’s quite impressive!” he recognized. “And I thought he was the one protecting you!”

Holst laughed softly. “He does protect me. But now he will pout.”

“I won’t pout,” Miklan groaned. “But you don’t know him! You don’t know if you can trust him and you know…”

“I KNOW!” Holst protested.

“What?” Glenn worried.

“I’m not supposed to talk to anyone,” Holst whispered.

“I can understand, your position seem to be high…”

Miklan groaned as Glenn pronounced those words.

“So,” Glenn said, glancing at Miklan who got up with more growls. “Let me tell you a very important secret. Why the King would let give him letters for me. So either we trust each other or we betray each other.”

Glenn smiled and leaned on Holst.

He was surprised because Holst smell a weird mix of a lot of strong perfume, like soap but those you use to clean, horses, old rags… but also the softest smell of Peach and Flowers…

“HOLST!!!”

The Count Gloucester roared, searching after him. He wasn’t with his sister, he was nowhere… And if he couldn’t find him…

At the second he will put his hand on him, he would made sure he will never dare to confront him in any way again. If it was just that, he could starve his sister and see him suffer. Slowly but surely!

But where was he?

What if…

No.

“MIKLAN?!”

Where was his slave?!

If those two were together perhaps it means nothing. Perhaps it meant they were just having fun somewhere and too busy to reply to him. Or perhaps… or perhaps it meant Miklan helped Holst to run away? Without their siblings, it seemed strange but…

Perhaps?

He shouldn’t have let them come close to each other.

He had been an idiot…

He will have to make sure such a thing wouldn’t happen again.

Walking to the stables, Gloucester found Sylvain, hitting on a lady that was so blushing and flustering, she would have let go of her bucket if the redhead hadn’t caught it. And her. He was now whispering at her ear and the Count swore he never had seen someone be redder than her at this very moment.

And the man was also a bit annoyed that people might take his Mansion, his Dominion, as just a happy sex affair place.

“Sylvain!” he roared.

The young man looked at him.

“Come, I need you.”

Sylvain stared at him and noticed the knife in his hand. He sighed and let go of the girl, not without giving her one or two compliments and the bucket, then walked after the Count, willingly following him until they reach the room of the man.

The biggest room of the whole Mansion, it was filled with as many precious things you could see at once. No museum had as much paint, sculpture and strange incoherent masterpiece than this place.

If you would have sold ten percent of all of this, you could have feed the whole population of the Alliance, more than probably.

The Count walked toward purple curtains and he pushed them open, revealing the most elegant mirror that never existed. Surrounded with gold, silver, cooper and jewelries, it was almost impossible to directly look at the surface that… mirrored absolutely nothing anyway. It was black. The dullest black ever…

“Approach,” Rothschild commanded.

Sylvain didn’t move.

The man walked to him and grabbed him by the hair, tugging on it to force his throat to appear, the collar shining under the light. His knife caressed the thin skin in the throat.

“Do it,” Sylvain smirked. “What will you do after?”

“I want him to see the consequences of his acts,” Gloucester whispered.

The blade moved and blood spurted.

Sylvain hiccupped and his body fell on the floor when the man let go of it.

Rothschild walked toward the mirror, dipping his finger in the blood on his knife and he passed them over the black and smooth surface…

“Mirror, Mirror with golden frame tell me, tell me who is the mightiest one of all…” Gloucester whispered.

The black surface seemed to melt with the scarlet blood and it swirled, creating a fascinating whirlwind.

And then, a voice rose from nowhere? Everywhere? It was so hard to tell…

“Looking through the vast World, I can tell you, you are very powerful, one of the mightiest perhaps. But Holst Prudentia Goneril is still the mightiest one of all…”

A laugh echoed.

Gloucester turned his head toward Sylvain, on the floor, his cheek crossed with a bleeding wound.

“It’s the same since we are here,” Sylvain smirked. “Five years and you’re still so lame. Nothing will change!”

Gloucester threw his foot in Sylvain. The redhead rolled on the floor, avoiding the blow but not the magic arrow that suddenly appeared and hit him with violence, sharp, opening his shoulder.

“Fuck!” Sylvain hissed.

Gloucester approached him, his fingers coming in the wound and he moved them swiftly, droplets jumping on the surface.

“Mirror, Mirror with golden frame show him to me! Show me Holst Prudentia Goneril!”

The mirror seemed to swallow the blood and then the color blasted on him. Holst was laughing, his hand lost in some dark blue thread of a tinier man. The man was looking at him with such a tenderness…

Sylvain hiccupped.

“Who is he…?” Gloucester whispered.

“A guy he wants to fuck or get fucked by,” Sylvain said.

“Look at him…”

It seemed that he talked to Sylvain but he certainly was talking to himself, in fact. The man walked toward the mirror. He could see the clothes, very Noble. It looked like a corset but there was a turtleneck area even though a pretty windowed cleavage showed his so pale skin. His hair didn’t make him look very Noble or rich, having half of his head shaved and the second half formed with so many different braids, and they were so long… But the coat of arms on the sheath of his sword… And the jewels he was wearing on his ear, a Dragon on one, and seven little very precious stone at the other… He was rich. He was Noble.

Who was him?!

Sylvain moved away. He glanced at the door and he needed to reach it…

“I never saw someone like that. With those hair, with that skin so pale…”

He also noticed, at his waist, a coat that looked extremely warm. Someone from the cold countries?

Holst was trying to eloping?!

_Crack._

Gloucester jolted and turned his head toward Sylvain.

He was trying to run away, or crawl away.

Rothschild let out a cold laugh and walked toward him.

“Touch me…” Sylvain hissed.

“And you do what?! You kill me?” The man laughed as he grabbed him by the collar. “Have you already forgotten that if you kill me, yours and your brother’s life is no more?!” he roared.

“I swear to Sothis…”

Gloucester threw him toward the mirror.

Sylvain’s head hit so hard against it, he could only hiccup. The man approached him, taking him by the hair again. Sylvain moved his head as much as he could but it just hurt. He wanted to bit him.

“I wonder where else I can adorn you with my knife,” Gloucester groaned. “I want to see your brother beg my pardon for having let the Messalina leave that way!”

“Holst will get that Dominion one day. It’s just a matter of…”

Sylvain couldn’t finish his sentence, Gloucester’s foot entering his cheek so hard, he spat blood on the mirror.

“Mirror, Mirror with golden frame who is that person with Holst Prudentia Goneril! That person on the mirror!”

The mirror accepted the blood offering, once again. And the voice echoed, seeming to be nested in their brain itself…

“The person on the mirror is Glenn Victor Fraldarius, from the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus.”

“Fraldarius… Fraldarius… Why do I know this name?” Gloucester whispered.

He moved his knife toward Sylvain.

“NO!” the redhead shrieked. “He is the King’s favorite nephew!!!” He hadn’t noticed it but…tears were rolling along his cheeks. “Please…” he whispered. “Please… He is the King Lambert’s favorite nephew…”

Gloucester leaned over him and whipped away one tears. Sylvain pressed his head against the mirror, breathing hard.

“Why would I believe you?”

“If you decide to see if I’m right and I lied… you would make me pay for it… I’m not dumb…” he said under his breath.

Gloucester passed his hand in the red strands, tugging on it.

“What else do I have to know about him?”

Sylvain’s tears rolled even more. He wanted to stop them but he couldn’t. He hated himself. He hated himself so much…

“He is a Knight… The youngest lad who ever have been dubbed…”

“What else,” Gloucester asked.

Sylvain’s cheeks were drenched with tears and he shook his head. Some red hair remained in the man’s hand.

“He… I doubt he will lose his time with Holst…”

“Have you seen the way he looked at him?!”

“Have you seen Holst?” Sylvain whispered. “He is charming. But Glenn won’t lose his time with him. He is too dedicated to his work…”

Gloucester let go of his hair and stepped away from him. He grabbed a chain and passed it around the collar. The other side went on a hook next to the mirror. And the chain was so short…

“Your dear brother will see what _he_ did to you. And if he doesn’t restraint the Messalina, you will get worse.”

Sylvain deeply breathed, his cheeks still covered with tears, sliding within his wound and making him hiccup of pain. His shoulder was still making him suffer, some salty droplets came on his lips.

When the door slammed closed, he jolted.

He turned toward the mirror and passed his hand on his cheek. He spread it on the mirror and pressed his forehead against the cold surface.

“Mirror, Mirror with golden frame show me the one I love…”

Like the others time, the mirror seemed to suck the blood, the black and scarlet swirled and then color blasted. He couldn’t help smiling when he saw Felix Hugo Fraldarius sitting on a huge boar, his elbow on his knee and his chin in his palm. And suddenly, he looked toward _him_. Or it looked like he was doing so…

And he smiled.

Colors of the setting Sun dancing of his face and making irradiate literally.

“Felix…” Sylvain whispered, smiling through his tears. “I’m so sorry…”


	3. I want to see you again

“And here we are!” Holst said, showing the town.

It was there, standing at two hundred or three hundred meters.

“Thank you so much,” Glenn replied. “You have been nothing but lovely.”

“Oh!” Holst blushed lightly. “Thank you! You have been so lovely too, I loved your discussion and… I want to see you again.”

Glenn took his hand, bowed deeply and pressed a kiss on his knuckles.

“Then, your desires are my commands.”

Holst smiled.

“Is there a place I can send you mail?” Glenn pursued.

Holst looked at him with hesitation. He glanced at Miklan who sighed.

“Send it to the mail system here. Send it for HPG and we will get it,” Miklan said.

“Please,” Holst said.

“I will.”

Glenn squeezed gently his hand.

“I need to leave but tomorrow, when the night will fall, I will come back here. And I hope seeing you.”

“Holst, that’s enough,” Miklan intervened. “That’s too dangerous, you can’t do that!”

“I can come to your mansion,” Glenn offered immediately.

Miklan walked toward him, stepping between them, this mountain of muscle and anger against that steady tiny silhouette. Too calm.

“What can’t your little Noble brain can’t understand when I say ‘it’s too dangerous’?! I won’t let you approach Holst anymore. You had fun, good to you.”

“You don’t let him talk to anyone, see anyone, leave his Mansion… What are you letting him do?! Are you his bodyguard or his gaoler?!”

“Guess it,” Miklan roared.

It almost looked like a gekkering. A fox gekkering…

“Miklan! Don’t make me intervene,” Holst warned.

“I don’t care,” he replied. “You had enough fun.” He heard the sound of the sword being unsheathed before feeling the cold metal on his throat. “Do you think I’m impressed because you have a weapon and I have none? I don’t need that to kill you, Glenn.”

When the Knight heard his name being pronounced by those lips, this voice filled with hatred, he had a shiver. His hand shook. One time. But it was enough for Miklan to grab his wrist and force it in the back of the man, the sword falling on the dead leaves.

And… from all of three, he was the most surprised that he was holding Glenn’s arm in his back like that. That easily.

Perhaps that was the reason why he let go of him and paced backward, more than Holst protest?

He looked as Holst dashed to the stranger and gently cupped his face.

“Glenn?” he asked with a soft tone, a caressing voice.

Glenn caressed his hand with a smile.

“It’s not against you and Miklan is my friend. He doesn’t want to hurt me, I swear.” Holst caressed his cheek. “I swear…”

“I believe you,” Glenn replied, coming on his tiptoe to press their forehead together.

Holst’s second hand came on the crook of his back to help him.

“Can I kiss you?” Glenn asked.

“K…Kiss me?” Holst whispered.

“Yeah… a little kiss. You can say ‘no’,” Glenn swore.

Holst couldn’t believe anyone would like to kiss him. Like that. For no reason…

He looked at Miklan who groaned and moved away, turning his back to them.

Holst then nodded to Glenn.

“I’ll save you,” Glenn whispered against his lips before kissing them.

Holst’s heart was beating so hard in his chest, he barely realized that Glenn stepped away and walked back to the town.

“I’ll wait for you tomorrow. You don’t have to come but if you come, I’ll be there!” Glenn swore.

Holst stared at him, in disbelieve, in surprise.

“Holst…” Miklan said. “We need to come back, now.”

“Miklan… I want to come back.” He turned his head toward him. “You have to let me do.”

“No,” Miklan replied.

“I will come back. If you don’t let me do…”

Miklan grabbed him and pinned him against a tree.

“Endanger the life of your sister if you want to but I won’t let you hurt Sylvain!”

Holst seemed to come back to the horrible reality.

Hilda. Sylvain…

He remembered a time where he used to be able to do whatever he wanted. While it seemed to be so far away from him, even though it’d been only one year, it was also a part of his personality and Glenn seemed to have grabbed it, making him feel so alive. More alive than never within the last year.

But if he kissed this life he offered him…

He would hurt those he loved.

“I… I’m so sorry,” he whispered. “I didn’t realize. I just… I just wanted…”

“It’s fine,” Miklan said, taking him in his arms. He caressed gently his hair. “It’s fine. I’ll protect you and I’ll protect them.”

Holst pressed his head against his pectoral.

“I thought… I thought you were just jealous…”

“I’m not jealous. I want you to be happy. I would have let you run away with him… if it wasn’t for Sylvain.”

“W… Why let me have gone with him? Am I that insufferable? Am I making your life painful?”

“You’re making my life painful,” Miklan sighed. He lifted his face tenderly. “But it was my fault. I… _I_ wanted to see him a bit more.”

“So… you found him pretty too?” Holst tried to joke, tears in his eyes.

Miklan whipped one that threatened to stain his round cheeks.

“I know him.”

“You…”

“I’m from the Kingdom. I used to be with him all the time. He was my best friend. He was…” Miklan groaned. “But it was before Gloucester bought us.”

“He was…” Holst repeated.

“It doesn’t matter, he doesn’t remember me anyway. Can’t blame him.”

“Why haven’t you told him? Perhaps he does!”

“Have you seen his reaction?”

“Have you seen how you arrived? So tall and angry? I wouldn’t expect you to do that, I wouldn’t have been that horny! I would have been afraid probably! Have you seen how sad he was when you threatened to kill him?!” Holst protested.

“He wants to get _you_ anyway.”

Holst looked down and lowered his hand to take his.

“It’s not fair if you can’t be happy…”

“I never knew happiness,” Miklan replied.

“It’s wrong! I’m sure you did! You…”

Miklan stared at him, looking angry again.

“Come, we have to come back before Gloucester will notice anything,” Miklan groaned, lifting him.

“If you want to, tonight, you can think about him while you will have me,” Holst said, passing his arms around his shoulders.

“Only if you think about him too,” Miklan snickered.

“Oh this would be hot!”

“You’re right, Holst…”

“That would be hot?”

“You give me a taste of happiness…” Miklan corrected.

Holst caressed his cheek and leaned toward him.

“It doesn’t disturb you?” he asked, almost against his lips.

Those lips that kissed Glenn a bit earlier.

“Not at all,” Miklan replied, kissing him.

He knew Holst needed someone he could trust to love him between the sheets, or anywhere else. He was fine with being that guy even though Holst seemed to have pure and tender feelings with Glenn. He actually was glad Holst fell in love with Glenn because Glenn was one of the rare people he would see as worthy of Holst’s love. Holst was one of the rare people he would see as worthy of Glenn’s love.

If it wasn’t for Sylvain, he would have wished they could be happy together.

Even if he was so distraught to see the only two people he ever loved… not caring for him the way he was caring for them.


	4. My Dear Sibling

He didn’t remember him.

He didn’t remember him and he was ready to kill him for the smile of Holst…

Well, to be very honest, that pure, genuine and perfect smell; that soft perfume of flower; that positivity… all of this did give the envy to kill for him. Kill to make sure he will still be happy.

To be honest, at first glance, he hadn’t recognized him neither, so tall, more muscular, the body covered with scars and that black fabric. But as soon as he had seen his eyes, seen his red hair. What had happened to him? Why was he covered with so many scars?

He wouldn’t mind he was so dedicated to Holst if he had seen a glimpse of him recognized him. He could pass to someone else. Even he couldn’t resist to the charm of Holst. But he was sure Miklan hadn’t recognized him… or he would have offered him to see Sylvain!

Was he that different or that forgettable?

In the town, he looked around and found his way toward the inn. And as he approached it… he couldn’t help when he saw a big boar with a tiny silhouette on it.

When he approached, the silhouette turned its head toward him. And he saw the only smile he truly wanted to see. Felix jumped from the boar, almost tripped in his braided hair that still brushed the floor, and dashed toward him.

“Glenn!”

“My baby!”

Glenn held out his arms and caught his brother, hugging him tenderly, caressing his skull.

“I was starting to get worry! You took so long! And you have no prey?! What happened to you? I thought you were the best hunter.”

“No,” he said, kissing his cheeks. “It’s you. Show me your prey!”

Felix took his wrist and made him come toward the huge boar. Glenn never had seen such a big boar. Felix would protest and said he had seen Dimitri way too often. Gladly, Glenn said nothing and just noticed the arrow wound right in the good place.

“We were waiting for you to eat,” Ingrid said. She had a big wild turkey in her arms. And behind Dimitri, there were a roe buck. “And to count the point but… Nothing?”

Glenn shrugged. “I found nothing.”

“You found nothing?” Ingrid repeated. “I saw so many different things!”

“Then why do you only bring back a turkey?” Glenn snickered.

“Have you seen it’s size, Glenn?! I struggle more to carry it than carrying _you_!!”

“Oh really?! Let’s try this!” Glenn smirked as he walked toward her.

Felix sighed and walked to the boar, letting himself crash on it and throwing a glance to Dimitri, smirking, as Ingrid lifted Glenn.

“So, where were you?”

As Felix asked that, Glenn frowned. He had Felix extremely long hair in hands, and on his lap, and still the mane was falling on the floor, and brushed it softly.

“I was hunting, like you.”

“Glenn, I know you.”

“I was hunting,” Glenn said, slightly firmer.

“I don’t like when you disappear like that,” Felix whispered. “I’m afraid… you will vanish forever.”

“Felix!”

Glenn let go of the brush and moved in the bed to take his face in his shivering hands.

“I don’t want you to vanish.”

Felix looked down and Glenn knew there was so much he didn’t tell him.

“Why would you want me to leave? Where can I be but by your side? I love you.”

Felix groaned. Glenn gently caressed his cheek.

“It has been so long since you said me ‘I love you’ too. Have you stopped loving me? _That_ would be the dead of me!”

“Don’t say that!” Felix angrily protested.

Glenn lost his smile.

Felix bit his lower lip.

“The last time I say it to someone, the day after…” Felix whispered.

“Felix…”

Glenn took him in his arms and Felix snuggled against him.

“We lost father… and a bit before of that… I just have told him what I felt for him and he just… vanished.”

“What are you saying? Father didn’t disappear because you said him ‘I love you’, he too was sad you didn’t show enough…”

“No,” Felix cut short. “You don’t remember why he went with Uncle Lambert at your place? He protected him, the Boar and the Queen Patricia with his life.”

“I…”

Glenn remembered. Felix was crying so strongly. Nothing could stop him and he had begged his father to stay with Felix because he was so worry for him… Rodrigue accompanied Lambert to Duscur at his place, and never came back. Glenn was only eighteen and he inherited of the Dukedome, had to care for his brother and for so many things. It was only thing that helped _him_ to mourn the dead of his father and deal with the absence of his first love…

But when his first love left, it also meant…

“Sylvain?” he whispered.

“He vanished… Father died… I will never… never tell you again…”

Glenn pressed their forehead together.

“Should I stop telling you I love you?” he asked, caressing his cheek.

“You can continue if you promise you won’t vanish.”

“I promise, Felix. I will always be there to hug you. Come in my arms and let me tell you how much I love you.”

Felix pouted slightly and hugged him. He couldn’t help thinking ‘please, don’t leave me’ each time he heard the ‘I love you’ echoing in the room…

The night was about to fully spread its veil over the sky. Some stars were already trying to appear and the Moon was flashing around.

Miklan could have brought back Holst to his room, it wouldn’t have surprised no one, but he preferred to bring him to Hilda. He entered first in the room because he needed to be sure she was alright. Needed to be sure Gloucester didn’t discover anything and had endangered their siblings. And he didn’t need Holst to see his sister being that hurt…

But, when he entered the room and approached her, he noticed nothing. No marks on her face or her arms, she just looked happy.

He walked out the room and Holst looked him with hope.

“She is fine, I think.”

“Thank you, Goddess,” Holst whispered.

“You have to be more cautious in the future. I’m not preventing you to do anything because I don’t care for you.”

Holst moved his hand to brush his pectoral.

“I know, Miklan…”

He threw him a look with a soft smile.

“Not tonight, Holst. But tomorrow, if you come in my room, in the first light of the days, I’m sure I would have dreamed of you and had a lot of things I will want to do to you.”

“You will dream about me?” Holst smiled.

“Who wouldn’t dream about you?” Miklan asked.

He leaned to kiss tenderly his lips. Holst passed his arms around him to reply to his kiss.

“Very well,” he whispered. “I’ll dream about me to, then!”

Miklan smiled, looking at him with tenderness.

“Kidding! I’ll dream about you. I swear…”

“I will be glad if you have a happy night,” he said, pressing a kiss on his forehead. “Go to sleep.”

“Good night,” Holst replied. He stepped backward, looking at him with a gentle smile. “I care for you, you know?”

“I care for you too,” Miklan gently said.

He let his eyes caress him until he disappeared behind the door.

He couldn’t help sighing and swirled on his heels to go in Sylvain’s room. He knocked at the door as soon as he arrived. He just wanted to hear him say ‘yes?’. He just wanted to be sure everything was alright.

He believed, if Gloucester had learnt anything, he would attacks Hilda and no one else. Sylvain was save…

But then why Sylvain wasn’t replying?

“Sylvain?!” he called, hammering his fist on the door.

“Miklan…” Miklan felt a shiver run along his spine. “You search someone?”

“Where is Sylvain?” he groaned, turning toward Rothschild Perseus Gloucester.

“Where is Holst?” the man asked, gold.

“In his room. With Hilda.”

The Count walked toward him.

“Since when?” he asked, calmly.

“I don’t know. A moment.”

Miklan was taller than Gloucester, way taller and wider, but the Count didn’t care. He held out his hand to grab the collar and tug on it.

“I know he wasn’t in his room since the Sun started to set. I know you let him wander around. You have only one job, try to do it correctly or next time…” He smirked. “Your brother is in my room…”

Miklan dashed to Gloucester room, not waiting a minute more.

He stormed in and found a jolting and panicked Sylvain, tugging on a chain and… in tears and blood.

“Sylvain…” he hiccupped.

He walked toward him and grabbed the chain. They burnt him but he broke them in a matter of seconds and removed the part around Sylvain’s collar.

“You’re hurt?” he asked, inspecting his face.

“It’s fine…” Sylvain whispered.

“You don’t look ‘fine’!!” Miklan groaned.

He lifted him from the floor to bring him back to his room. Without a single word, Sylvain let him do. Miklan was so tall, it wasn’t hard for him to get to the room and in less than a minute, he had brought his brother to his own bed. He could have let him there but he needed to heal him!

He moved away to go search some bandage and alcohol but he felt a hand on his wrist.

He turned his head toward Sylvain and saw him crying again.

“Sylvain!”

“I told him…” Sylvain whispered. “I betrayed Glenn. I… I had to tell him because if he had asked his mirror… if he had heard for Felix… I had to protect him…”

It was hard to talk because he was sobbing so hard, hiccupping to the point he struggled to breath.

“Keep calm,” Miklan said, coming to him to caress gently his back. “Keep calm, Sylvain. You know, Glenn would have wanted that to protect both of you.”

“But… but if something happen to him…” Sylvain whispered. “I don’t want anything to happen to him!” Sylvain protested.

Miklan sat next to him.

“What happened? What have you told to Gloucester?”

“He couldn’t find Holst and he came ask me and I didn’t know. So he used his fucking mirror and… and he saw Glenn… he saw… I saw Holst… he was so happy…”

“He was really happy,” Miklan whispered.

“Have you… already saw him happier?” Sylvain asked.

Almost with hope.

Miklan caressed his hair and shook his head.

“What happened?”

“He just wanted to know more about Glenn… And when he started to get too interested, I just… I told enough to make him… stop. Told him… Told him Glenn was Lambert’s favorite nephew, the youngest dubbed Knight… I just had to…”

“It’s fine,” Miklan said, pressing their forehead together. “He doesn’t know for Felix… You protected him and that’s what matter.’

Sylvain moved toward him. Miklan let him approach and hugged him.

“Th… They are here… You… You have seen Glenn!”

Sylvain had a hiccup, and then he looked at him, almost smiling. It looked a bit forced but also, he seemed a bit happy.

Miklan stared at him.

“Have you kissed or something?” Sylvain asked with a giggle.

“I’m…”

Miklan wanted to say ‘I’m with Holst’ but he knew it was just a sex matter.

“He was interested by Holst, in fact,” Miklan said.

He couldn’t tell him that Glenn didn’t remember him. Because if he didn’t remember him, didn’t he risk to not remember Sylvain as well? He didn’t want to break his heart…

“Oh… Well, Holst is really pretty.”

“Yes. Glenn has taste.”

“Yeah,” Sylvain laughed. He whipped his tears. “How do you feel? Have they even talked about seeing each other again?”

“They have but I won’t let that happen.”

“I know you like Holst really much and that you loved Glenn…”

“I want them to be happy together,” Miklan cut short. “But have you seen what happened to you?! I won’t let Gloucester hurt you.”

“Would you let him hurt them?” Sylvain asked.

“They can deal without each other, it’s fine.”

“You could have?” Sylvain protested. “You were so bad and distraught when we left and I…” He looked down. “Felix just told me he loved me. It should have been the most beautiful day ever… and I will never see him again.”

“Sylvain!” Miklan groaned. “It’s not about that!”

“What is it about then?!” Sylvain protested. “We suffered before Holst and Hilda. We will suffer after!”

Miklan caressed his hair.

“Your heart is so pure…”

Sylvain shook his head. He didn’t believe that. He, in fact, believed he was an asshole. It wasn’t fair to ask to his brother to let his boyfriend go have fun with someone else. Even though Miklan saw himself as a sex toy and had already stated himself that way, he already have heard Holst calling Miklan ‘my boyfriend’ once or twice…

“I… don’t think you want to keep Holst for yourself. Keep him _here_ ,” Sylvain whispered. “Or is it? I won’t judge you, you know. I know you’re not _just_ having sex with him…”

Miklan got up and walked toward the door.

Sylvain bit his lower lip, understanding he went way too far. But he really didn’t want to hurt him. Not over what was supposed to be the purest feelings…

“He hadn’t changed…” Miklan said.

Sylvain watched at him with surprise.

“Glenn… He is still the same. He told to Holst he will save him.”

Hearing that, the redhead couldn’t help smiling.

“I need to be sure… I don’t want Holst to suffer. I don’t want Glenn to suffer neither. And if everything is fine… I’ll make sure you leave with them,” he said, closing the door.

“Miklan!” Sylvain protested.

But his brother didn’t open the door back. He would have run after him but… for what?

Turning in the bed, Hilda couldn’t help smiling when she saw her brother. It wasn’t something very common since they were here. She understood, she thought, because he wasn’t leaving a happy and joyful live here. And she knew it was partly because of her. Perhaps she should accept a part of her chores…

For him, she could do it…

“Say…”

Holst groaned.

“Say!” Hilda repeated, approaching him.

“Is this that late?” he groaned, hugging her.

“I think it’s early!” she smiled.

“Are you sick?”

He immediately opened his eyes, looking at her. She passed her arms around him and rubbed her cheek against his.

“I’m fine. I’m just worry for you,” she said.

“It’s fine,” Holst replied. “I’m fine too.”

He pressed a kiss on her forehead.

“I thought I could do a bit of your chores today!”

Holst pulled away and looked at her. “Where is my sister? I will become very mean if you have hurt her,” he warned.

“Idiot!” She jumped at his neck and kissed his cheeks. “I just love you and want to help you! I can do it for you, you know?” she said. “You’re the only one for whom I wanna do chores.”

“And I don’t want your pretty hands to be hurt,” he gently protested.

Hilda looked down at Holst’s hands. She took them and pressed slightly her fingers on it.

“One year ago, your hands were so pretty, you remember? You were wearing the prettiest clothes, your hair were always so shiny… You could have any man you wanted,” she laughed.

“I still can!” Holst protested. “I’m really happy with Miklan. And… I met a guy yesterday and I think I pleased him.”

“Oh! So a new one?” Hilda smiled. “Do you want to replace Miklan?”

Holst shook his head. “But I liked the new guy very much… He said… He told me he will be there, waiting for me tonight and…”

“And you should go there!” she said.

“But Gloucester could hurt you if I approached someone. We can’t talk to anyone. We can’t see anyone.”

“Who cares?” Hilda protested. “Go! Be happy… It has been one year since you’ve been happy…”

“Those last years have been hell…” Holst whispered. “First father, then the Duke who adopted us… and we ended up here. This place is Hell… But I just want to protect you from this Hell. I want you to be happy.”

“I won’t be happy if you’re not,” she said under her breath. “Please, if you want to go see this guy, go.”

Holst bit his lower lip. “Miklan won’t let me do…”

“Then he…”

“Don’t say ‘he doesn’t deserve you’, please. Hilda, we are together. He should be right to protest I see someone else. That… that part doesn’t disturb him, he is so sweet… But… he is afraid for Sylvain as much as I’m afraid for you.”

“I want you to be happy…” she said.

“I want you to be happy, my Princess,” he swore.

“My Queen,” Hilda winked. “I help you doing your chores and I will help you to go see the guy. It will be on me! So Sylvain risks nothing and if it’s needed, I will make eyes at Lorenz to protect you!”

Holst sadly smiled. He remembered the time he tried to befriend Lorenz and how his father was angry. How many scars were displaying on his body because he approached Lorenz?

Miklan always pretended he didn’t see them but… they were there, witness of having trying to be friend with someone.

“And then, you could know with who you want to be!”

Holst slightly nodded. He moved his fingers to his lips, remembering their kisses.

What if… he didn’t want to choose?

It was weird because he knew Miklan since one year and the man who used to be just a sex buddy slowly became something else. They talked, they discovered each other and if he had to say, he would point out that since they know each other, they enjoyed to be together, the time between the sheets was better, more passionate… But despite his constant need, he would say those moments were now the less important for him now. Because he just wanted to be with him.

But Glenn… There was something within him, his softness? His concerns? His words? He seemed to bring steadiness.

What if he didn’t want to choose?

Violent knocks on the door made him jolt and look at the entry. He hadn’t the time to do anything, say anything that the door opened.

On Gloucester.

The man glanced at him with disdain. His eyes seemed to say ‘so, you’re here…’ and Holst looked at him with hate…

“Hilda, I wanted to see you,” the Count said.

“And what did you want?” she asked with her most beautiful fake smile. “You know, neither of us are pretty right now and it’s not a kind of you to come like that in the two most beautiful flower’s room to contemplate their ugliness,” she said.

“You’re still perfect,” Holst protested.

“You’re still perfect!”

“That’s enough!” Gloucester groaned.

Holst noticed Miklan. He wanted to throw him a smiled but he stopped himself.

“Hilda Valentine Goneril,” Rothschild said, walking toward her.

“Yup?” she said.

“I will marry you,” he announced.

“Excuse me?!” Holst hiccupped.

“I say ‘no’?!” Hilda protested.

“You can’t say ‘no’,” the Count said. “We will marry each other. The wedding will be planned for the end of the week.”


	5. Meeting at noon

“Can you realize? My arthritis is _gone_!”

“Perhaps not gone?” a voice replied.

“Anyway, I don’t feel pain today! I’m feeling so good… I never felt that way since… oh so longtime.”

Ingrid bit her lower lip when she arrived in the floor ground. She glanced at Dimitri who came with her because they expected to bring the breakfast to their rooms. They have taken three rooms for the three nights they were planning to stay here.

Today was a big day and, while he had planned to let Felix and Ingrid here, what deeply annoyed Felix who believed he had to come with his brother, all of them needed to be ready for whatever what waiting for them. Dimitri hoped it just would be an annoying political meeting but Glenn and Dedue were really expecting to have to protect their Prince’s life. Even though, yes, what could go wrong with a meeting with Rothschild Perseus Gloucester? Nothing never happened between their Dominions…

“Look at my finger! I cut myself and it’s already so well healed!” a woman said.

Ingrid wasn’t surprised by such conversation.

Someone would notice something extraordinary and someone else will notice too for themselves. Since two people had react to _something_ , most of them will search something weird, better with them and in most of the case, they will have the chance to find it. Just a tiny something but enough.

And soon enough, they will discover that it couldn’t come from the inn itself…

“Come,” Dimitri commanded to Ingrid.

He walked to the landlord of the inn.

“Excuse me, Sir.”

Dimitri smiled and bowed in front of him.

“Yes?” he asked.

“We came for the breakfast service.”

“Ah!” the man replied with a smile.

He ruffled behind the counter and soon enough, he gave them two pastries with chocolate inside. Dimitri felt annoyed when he raised his hand, showing five fingers.

“Wait,” the landlord said. “Is it ten or fifteen?”

“Ten or fifteen piece of gold for this?” Dimitri asked.

Now it was expensive. No wonder why the Capital’s situation was so frightening.

“No. Do you want ten portions or fifteen?”

Dimitri frowned and glanced above his shoulder to notice Ingrid showing her two hands. She immediately put them down with a smile.

“Fifteen, please,” Dimitri replied.

“I love you. So much!” Ingrid said with gleaming eyes.

The landlord prepared the pastries and some cocoa milk.

“If you can’t eat everything, we will give it so those needing it.”

“Yeah, you can hope I won’t eat everything,” Ingrid smiled.

Dimitri lightly sighed. “You can have Felix’s part, I guess.”

“I will cherish him if he let me have his part.”

“He would probably be delighted but I doubt Glenn let him do.”

Without a second thought, Dimitri took the whole tray and the pitchers before following Ingrid upstairs. She glanced at someone who was delighted in regard of a hold scar that stopped to make her them suffer…

She walked to the Fraldarius’ room and pushed the door open. Dimitri called Dedue and that was enough for Glenn to look up two seconds before looking down at Felix’s hair he was brushing.

“Still on it?” Ingrid smirked.

“I swear, I must pass half of my life to comb them,” Glenn sighed. “I’m not paid enough!”

“You’re not paid at all,” Dimitri noticed.

“Wrong,” Felix groaned. “You can hug me and kiss me.”

“In this case, I’m so fucking well paid,” Glenn smiled before leaning to kiss his cheek with a loud sound to annoy him.

“Gleeeeenn!” he protested.

“Whaaaat?” Glenn replied.

“Glenn,” Dimitri said, moving toward him.

At the first second, Glenn wanted to grab the food he was holding but he realized his tone. His expression…

“What is it, Dimitri?”

“People are starting to notice the difference…”

“Already?” Glenn replied.

The door opened on Dedue who closed behind him, walking toward Dimitri who gently smiled to him and held out the tray of pastries to him.

“Take one,” he offered.

“Thank you, your highness.”

“Glenn,” Dimitri said after having smiled to Dedue. “I think that’s because they’re living in misery. Such a thing must be a real blessing for them.”

“This is sad…” Dedue groaned.

Dimitri nodded sadly.

He wanted to do better. He wanted to help them but he knew he couldn’t… The Alliance of Leicester wasn’t under the family custody…

“My Highness, have you managed to have an audience with the Count?” Glenn asked.

“Yes. He is warned we can go whenever we want, I think. At the moment we will go, it might ask a bit of time to be really received but…” Dimitri nodded. “I think we should leave in one hour and present ourselves before the dinner. I wouldn’t want to disturb his meal.”

“Or maybe we can get managed to be invited,” Ingrid smiled.

“And stab him if he has too much food,” Felix said.

“None of you come,” Glenn announced.

“Because I want to stab him?” his brother sighed.

“Because I want to eat?” Ingrid asked, outraged.

“Because I only need to be accompanied with my guards, not with the little brother of the guard or my distant cousin.”

“I’m a Knight before being your distant cousin,” Ingrid replied to Dimitri.

“It’s just better that way,” Dimitri announced. “Dedue and Glenn come with me and that’s all. We will try to leave tonight or tomorrow.”

Glenn couldn’t help thinking about Holst… and Miklan. If they needed to leave tonight, he would… Protecting Felix was more important than a love story. A little crush… he was fascinating by Holst and wanted to hold him in his arms, hear him laugh and see him smile but it was just a crush. He wasn’t even sure he would come tonight. As much as Miklan had forgotten him why this guy couldn’t just swipe him away from his memory?

He really needed to take care of Felix first.

Those hair, that halo of cure around…

Glenn wasn’t sure of the reason behind but as soon as Felix was born, his hair started to grow. Quickly. He was only two years old that his hair already needed to be tied or they would have spread on the floor. And around him, people just healed faster. From anything… People around him had never health problems and soon, it was obvious that there was some magic coming from him.

And they had to protect him.

Protect his secret…

That was the reason why Glenn took Felix with him. His brother was a warrior, he totally could defend himself and he wasn’t fearing for him on this side but he did was afraid someone could want his power? Either they would try to get his hair or his magic and he was afraid of that.

Of what people could do.

Even trying to become his friend so they can take advantage of his power…

And, yes, as for the hair… when he was younger, they once cut it because… what were you supposed to do except that? And Felix started to be so weak… Glenn always took care of his hair because he was afraid they were actually his thread of life…

“Holst!”

Miklan grabbed Holst’s wrist.

“I can’t… Not now… I’m sorry, I have to find a way to kill that asshole!” Holst groaned. “Marrying my sister?! _My_ sister?!”

“Don’t do that.”

“Give me _one_ good reason to do it?!” Holst roared.

“What about the one that prevented me to kill him numerous times: if you kill him, you kill Sylvain.”

“W… what?” Holst whispered.

“The collar…”

Holst moved his hand to brush Miklan’s collar.

“It for maintain us in slavery and we are bonded to his life…”

“You too?” Holst said under his breath.

Miklan nodded.

“So, your life is in the balance too.”

The big redhead shrugged.

“Who cares?”

Holst watched at him and passed his arms around him. Miklan had let go of his wrist a few seconds earlier and he allowed himself to gently caress his hair.

“Holst, listen… I will accompany you tonight,” he whispered at his ear.

“What?” Holst let out, looking up at him.

“You can go see Glenn. But you need to be cautious.”

Holst couldn’t help smiling, his fingers coming down.

“All things considered, I think I have a few minutes to get loved by you,” he whispered, coming on his tiptoes.

Miklan frowned. “Holst?” he said. “Don’t you understand? You can go to see Glenn. You can be with him…”

“I understood,” Holst replied. “But… I still desire you. I still want to feel your arms around me.” He pressed his head against his chest. “I still love the sound of your heartbeats…” His fingers closed a bit more around his shirt. “Do you think it’s wrong?”

“I don’t know…”

Miklan caressed his hair.

“But I desire you too. I just want you to be happy.”

“If you want me… I will tell it to him, you know? I don’t want to hurt him. I don’t want to hurt you…”

“I want to feel you shiver under me, I want to make you moan of pleasure… I want to see the bliss in your face because you deserve it. I want… I need to hear you whisper my name… I want to hold you. Not only when I am taking care of your desires but also when you sleep, when you feel bad… Always.”

“Then hold me, Miklan. Please… hold me,” he whispered, caressing his cheek.

Miklan leaned to kiss him.

“MIKLAN!!” Gloucester roared.

Where was he again?

That Prince from the Kingdom was waiting for him in the audience room and he had asked to make them wait the time he could ‘prepare himself’. The problem, in fact, was that he knew there were two guards with the Prince and he couldn’t go unguarded. He was able to make magic but he had to be sure. And he needed his guard. The man who could destroy you in a heartbeat. A snap of his hands.

He pushed open Miklan’s door to find him, in the bed with Holst.

Which hiccupped when he saw the man, his hands still on Miklan’s chest. Gloucester walked to the couple and grabbed Holst by the hair to push him away. Holst let out a cry of pain.

“Miklan! When I call you, you’re supposed to reply!! Now, stop doing _this_ and come!”

Miklan tried to move to snatch Gloucester away, punch him hard but his collar started to burn him. He groaned and stared the man with hate.

“Holst, go make your chores! Sylvain will keep an eye on you. Try not to have sex with my two slaves. Disappear from my view now.”

Holst stared at him with as much hate as Miklan just before. He wanted to move his fingers to the tiny hatchet at his thigh… he wanted to hurt him. But if that killed Miklan… if that killed Miklan…

“NOW!!!”

“Yes, Count.”

Holst got up but he walked to Miklan and kissed him tenderly before moving outside of the room, adjusting his clothes.

Miklan fixed his clothes as well as Gloucester moved his fingers with an up motion. And as if he was holding actual chains or actual leash, Miklan was forced to get up.

“Now, do your job,” he groaned. “Or you know who will pay for it.”

Gloucester moved his fingers and left the room, walking toward the audience room.

Miklan followed him.

The Count didn’t take the time to explain him anything. He just walked to the room where he was awaited and opened it, walking in. Miklan kept following but he couldn’t help froze. Not when he saw the young Prince, nor that tall and muscular guy he never saw before. He froze when he saw Glenn…

Glenn looked at him.

Their eyes met.

Suddenly, Miklan felt bad. He totally agreed that Holst would want them both but what Glenn will think? He seemed to love very much Holst and they would meet tonight but he just had sex with _his_ kind of boyfriend? And also… he still wondered… did he remember him now?

Glenn was watching at him.

Glenn was looking at him.

But perhaps it was only because he expected to see Holst? Or because he realized he lost himself by mistake at the exact place he needed to go…

“I’m sorry for making you wait that long,” the Count said. “You didn’t even receive seats. What a mistake. Miklan!”

Miklan came back to reality and watched at the man.

“Seats for our royal guest!” Gloucester commanded.

Dimitri stared at the big man as he went to grab a very comfy seat and install it not far away from the Prince. He was sure he knew him… Why?

In front of him, the Count was sitting in his big throne.

“Do you need a seat?” Miklan asked, not to Glenn despite the desire, but toward Dedue.

“No,” the man replied. “Thank you.”

Miklan glanced at Glenn who just shook his head.

“Miklan…” the Count said.

The man moved away and came behind the throne of the man, standing still. Tall. Threatening.

“Young Prince Blaiddyd, please, tell me why you are here.”

“In fact, we came to ask you the authorization to cross your Dominion.”

While Dimitri was talking, explaining why they had to cross the Alliance, the Count wasn’t looking at him. He pretended he did but, in fact, he looked a bit behind. At Glenn.

It was him…

The man that interested Holst…

The man that made him smile so much.

He wanted to destroy him.

Why wouldn’t he find a way to destroy him now? Sending him back to his country, perhaps? Or saying to Dimitri he was making affront to him and he wanted his head on a stake?

“I see, I see…” the Count said. “Of course, I see no problems at you crossing the Alliance. In fact, you didn’t even need to come ask me but I really appreciate the gesture.”

“It’s very natural,” Dimitri replied with a little smile.

“Well…” Rothschild got up. “I really appreciate your gesture and I would like to thank you. I would be delighted if you accepted to have the dinner meal with me and my son, Lorenz.”

“Oh. I would be honored, of course,” Dimitri replied.

“You look surprised,” the Count said.

“Not very surprised. It is just that I did my best not to disturb your meal with our presence and having you accepting us to disturb it anyway…”

“Please, your Highness, I would be very glad to have you. Being with you would be a real honor and I’m sure we can talk politics if ever we lack of conversation.”

“Obviously. I would be delighted,” Dimitri said, bowing.

It needed almost one hour, where they talked, Miklan, Dedue and Glenn standing but their ruler sat, before the meal. The Count brought them in the dinning room where Lorenz arrived a bit after and got up to salute the Prince, bowing. He didn’t know who he was exactly but he could see the nobility coming from him.

Rothschild smiled to his son and walked to the table, taking place. He showed the one he offered to Dimitri and Dedue pulled the chair to allow the Highness to sit. Dimitri gave him a very warm smile and gently brushed his fingers. Perhaps that was the reason why, when his Master showed other chair to Glenn and Dedue, Miklan immediately approached a chair to tuck it for Glenn.

Gloucester groaned and Glenn smiled.

“Not on duty, but thank you,” he said, looking at Miklan, only.

“You don’t want to eat with us?” Rothschild asked.

“Not on duty,” Dedue approved. “We are just guards.”

“However, the coat of arms you are wearing…” Gloucester stared at Glenn, seeming to want his name.

“Glenn,” Dimitri said. “Glenn Victor Fraldarius.”

“Fraldarius. That’s what I believed. Aren’t you a Noble?”

“Perhaps. But here, I’m only his Highness’ guard,” Glenn replied. “And this would be unfair in regard of my colleague. And your bodyguard,” he added, looking at Miklan still next to him. “So, I have to decline your proposition.”

“This is the proof of a pure heart,” the Count smiled.

Miklan glanced at him, stopping staring at Glenn. This tone, his expression. For anyone, this wasn’t worrying, this was just someone approving… but it was too caressing. He was deeply annoyed.

Sylvain said that the man knew who Glenn was and he didn’t think he could lie. Not with his panicked state… So he knew. And insisting that much for _Glenn_ to eat…

This caressing tone…

What was he trying to do?

“Miklan,” Gloucester called.

The man pushed back the chair and moved to come behind the man. But he had much difficulty to keep walking when he felt fingers, full of callus for having wield a sword too long and yet soft, brushing his fingers. When he found back his place, he looked at Glenn, standing behind Dimitri.

What was happening?

It wasn’t for protecting Sylvain or Holst, it wasn’t for protecting an old crush… he truly wished he could be touched a bit more by this hand.

He was… yes, he was in love with Holst, he knew it. He didn’t think he could deserve his love but he loved him so much so why those pure and tender feelings he used to have for Glenn were coming back? Hope? Why Glenn would love him? Glenn liked Holst…

But Holst liked Glenn and still wanted to have fun with him. He asked him if it was wrong but… now, he wondered…. Wasn’t he under the spell of those ‘wrong’ feelings? He wanted to cherish Holst but he wanted his happiness, even if it was with someone else. He… in fact, he wished he could see him with Glenn because they would both be happy. He wanted their happiness and… very secretly, he wished to see them kiss. He hadn’t watch earlier and felt a bit frustrated.

Why?

He was jealous of every people looking at Holst and hated when he flirted with people even if it was to make them do his chores…

But with Glenn…

What was happening?

Why did he love his little looks?

Why did he want more of them? Feeling his brown eyes with blue rays and sparkle brush him again. Caress him.

No… No, he was dreaming wide awake.

Dimitri was throwing him looks too after all. Perhaps he was just trying to remember him.

Or did… did he had remember him?

He was hoping. He was dreaming…

He was dreaming… it wasn’t possible otherwise.

He was dreaming…

The dinner had been boring. Dimitri knew politics was supposed to be a part of his life but he hated having to really get implicated in it. Especially when he just wanted to cross the Dominion and it was all. He didn’t say the Count’s ideas were bad just… it wasn’t interesting to get them now.

Especially when it was pretty much going against his father’s ideas…

But he didn’t want to rise conflicts. He will just let his father deal with it. Perhaps Lambert will love some of this?

Anyway, Dimitri had managed to end this dinner without any War declaration so it was a good thing. He just wanted to go back to the inn and so tomorrow, they could leave…

He wanted to go to Adrestia and if he could just avoid having to come back here…

Dimitri said goodbye to Lorenz, promised he would send letters to him and moved away, moved to the exit. Dedue followed him. Miklan escorted them to the exit, making sure they wouldn’t do anything to the Count but, especially, looking at Glenn. Just a few more seconds. Stealing them to the fate.

When they arrived at the big opening door, Miklan quickly looked around.

The Count wasn’t there. He just hoped he wasn’t taking it out on Holst…

But he got his chance now. Holst’s chance…

He leaned at Glenn’s ear.

“He will come tonight.”

Glenn turned his head toward him and stared in surprise.


	6. Weak spot

In the big court, Holst had no difficulties to left buckets from the well. There were so many things to wash. Holst’s hair was actually damp and his hands hurt him so much, and this despite Hilda and Sylvain both helping him. He had whispered at the ear of a guard to make him to a bit of his chores but still. He started too late, yesterday, it remained too much…

He worked hard there.

And yet.

He just wanted to stop and still…

“Need help with that?” Sylvain asked, dashing at him.

Holst was holding two buckets.

“Na, it’s fine.”

“You sure? Because you always ask Miklan…” Sylvain said, taking the third bucket.

“Yes. I love seeing those muscles working!” Holst smiled.

“You…” Sylvain laughed. “You’re my Hero, frankly.”

“Thank you! Don’t overdo too much, Sylvain. You should rest yourself…”

“That’s not really in the mind of my Master, you know…” Sylvain sighed.

Holst put down the buckets and turned toward him. Sylvain was surprised when he felt arms around him.

“Sorry, should have ask,” he said.

“It’s fine.” Sylvain hugged him back. “I appreciate your hugs, always.”

“I just worry for you.”

“It’s fine,” the redhead shrugged.

Holst pulled away and brushed the scar in the cheek.

“It’s fine,” Sylvain insisted.

He moved away and walked to the mansion, angry. Not against Holst. But it felt like this to Holst…

And Holst was disgusted.

He didn’t know what was wrong with Gloucester lately!

He started to hurt the baby Sylvain?! He wanted to marry his sister?! And this last one was really more disgusting to his opinion! He hated that Sylvain was starting to act that way but as much as he loved him he especially loved his sister and needed to protect her. He could feel the hatchet at his thigh. He wanted to kill him…

What if…

“Sylvain!”

Holst took the buckets and dashed to Sylvain.

The young redhead turned toward him.

“I forgot to stay with you…” Sylvain said. “I’m not used to that.”

“It’s fine. Please, can you take care of washing the floors?”

He joined his hands together.

“So the big brother isn’t enough for you anymore?” he smiled.

“You know I love you very much but not like that! I have something to do but…”

“I can’t let you do that.”

“Because it will hurt your brother?” Holst smirked, bitter.

He hated Gloucester.

“Because that asshole will hurt _you_.”

“I’m not running away,” Holst said. “I will see him.”

“Gloucester?” Sylvain repeated.

Holst nodded. “Your brother says I can’t kill him… but that’s not my last card. Or perhaps… I will just kill him a little,” he winked, stepping backward.

“Wait! Don’t do that!” Sylvain protested taking his hand. “Please… I don’t want you to suffer.”

“It’s fine. I did that with lot of people before him, it’s just… It will just be a quickie and…”

“And what? What if he asks more from you? What will you get from that except disgust?”

“Perhaps he won’t marry my sister if he gets what he wants from me! But I won’t let him touch her!” Holst protested.

“I understand but this?! Will you even be able to look at yourself in the face after?”

“I…”

“I know you weren’t _forced_ to do something with my brother.”

“No… No, your brother is totally my type. I didn’t think he will…”

“Too far! Too far!” Sylvain protested, shaking his hands.

“Ah! Sorry!!” Holst laughed.

“What are you talking about?”

They both froze and turned to the edge of the corridors. Sylvain glanced at Holst and then back at the end of the corridor.

“Well…”

Holst walked toward him, his hips dancing, his eyes loving… He passed his arms around the shoulders.

“I was telling to Sylvain how much I wanted…”

Holst moved down his hand, taking the other hand to slide it on his thigh.

“I wanted you to feel this…”

The hand twitched.

“Because if you touch my sister, I will put it down your skull,” he warned with a cold tone, looking him right in the eyes.

Gloucester took the hatchet.

“I could use that.”

“Yes, you can shove it where I think.”

The man slid his hand under his chin, lifting it.

“Sad. I was thinking… if you were nicer, if you gave me what I wanted… sadly for you, you kept throwing away the pity I’m showing to you. Anyway, this will be useful, thank you.” He smiled and turned his head toward Sylvain. “I need you.”

“What?” Holst hiccupped.

“Sylvain!” Gloucester roared.

He grabbed him by the hair.

“Leave him alone!” Holst protested.

“Silence, Messalina. Be happy I let you have sex with the first idiot coming instead of working to pay your rent!”

Sylvain groaned, like an animal. He wanted to bite him so hard…

He felt the edge of the hatchet against his throat.

“Step away, Holst. Calm yourself, Sylvain…” he groaned.

“It’s fine, Holst… I will go with him.”

“Come see me when it’s done,” Holst asked.

He moved his fingers to caress Sylvain’s cheek but Gloucester tugged the young redhead away, forcing him to follow him in his room.

Sylvain kindly followed even though his brain was buzzing.

Why did he want to see him? With a hatchet, in his room… next to the mirror… That damn mirror…

“What do you want?” he asked.

Gloucester didn’t reply.

But what did he want? He wanted to get rid of Glenn Victor Fraldarius. He expected to make him take a slow poison at the dinner tonight and he would die in his miserable inn, being out of problems.

But he refused to eat.

Did he felt…

Gloucester threw the redhead on the floor and the hatchet came along the shoulder, just next to the first one.

Moving quickly, he threw the droplets on the mirror.

“Mirror, Mirror with golden frame, tell me… tell me how can I reach Glenn Victor Fraldarius? What is his weakest spot?”

Sylvain’s eyes widened.

No!

NO!

He bounced on his feet as the black of the mirror was swallowing the scarlet, swirling.

He knew what was the weakest spot of Glenn.

Sylvain jumped on the mirror. Growling. He was about to throw his fist in the mirror when Gloucester grabbed him by the hair and forced him backward, throwing his body on the floor and placing the hatchet on his throat. Dark magic came from him and forced Sylvain down.

“Try to move again,” the Count warned.

“Here is Glenn Victor Fraldarius’ weakest spot: his little brother, Felix Hugo Fraldarius.”

Sylvain stared at Felix who was training, his sword swirling in the room. The Count was watching at him and noticed the so long mane. He never saw someone like that. How was it possible that someone grew such a mane?

And it looked like it was annoying him much and yet, he didn’t cut them?

Such a long mane, a length almost impossible and he didn’t cut it. Why?

It was… supernatural.

And that made him smile.

He moved the hatchet.

“No!” Sylvain screamed.

He felt the hatchet entering in his flesh. He saw the droplets jumping on the mirror and he yelled in hope that the words of the Count would be swallowed instead of his blood.

“Mirror, Mirror with golden frame, tell me why Felix Hugo Fraldarius has so long hair?”

“When she was pregnant of him, Hannah Elizabeth Hecate Fraldarius ate a magic rapunzel flower. The magic infused the child. To this day, Felix Hugo Fraldarius is still infused with this magic.”

Gloucester smiled and the hatchet came down in the flesh.

“Please… I beg you. I beg you,” Sylvain hiccupped.

The Count slid his fingers along the edge of the hatchet and caressed the mirror. Touched the image of Felix. Sylvain groaned.

“Mirror, Mirror with golden frame, what are his pow…”

The Count yelled of pain. Sylvain had jumped on his wrist, his teeth and his nails were deeply dug within his flesh.

The heavy and disgusting smell of his own blood soaked the room and Sylvain refused to let go of him. The Count used the side of the hatchet, intending to slam it in his head but, at the second he saw the weapon coming toward him, Sylvain dodged and rolled on the floor. He jumped on his feet and dashed to the mirror to throw his fist in the glass.

And he yelled of pain.

The mirror didn’t shatter at all.

His knuckles were making him shiver of pain and he bit his lower lip. Blood was sliding from there, from his hand not only the knuckles but also his palms because his nails had dug in his own flesh.

The Count walked toward him, grabbed him and smashed him against the mirroring surface. Sylvain slide against it and he glanced at the image still displaying inside the golden frame.

Felix…

“If you want to use my blood again… You will have to kill me,” he whispered.

The Count smiled.

“In fact, now, I decided I will have the surprise of the power within this boy. And looking at you, wanting to protect a stranger from your sad fate… this give me an idea,” he smiled.

Sylvain’s hate grew harder. He opened his mouth, fangs clearly appearing in his mouth.

“You will obey.”

The redhead first reaction was to laugh at him. But nothing came from his mouth, the collar around his throat started to shine and Sylvain’s legs were so weak he fell on the floor. He wanted to remove the collar, but he couldn’t. He wanted to yell, but he couldn’t…

And his mind was now the only one that could yell…

No, no, no…

FELIX!!!!


	7. The Stars and the Moon for witness

“Holst!”

Holst opened the window. Not from his room, more likely his sister’s room, but Miklan’s room. Or… was this one his room?

Anyway, he went on this one because it would be the easier. It was technically on the ground-floor but the Mansion wasn’t very on a perfect level, the whole court and the garden where in a kind of slope and so Miklan’s window was at a few meters from the ground.

Behind the window, there was Miklan.

He was holding out his arms to him.

Honestly, Holst could have jumped on the floor without hurt himself but it was so tempting to jump in those loving and welcoming big arms…

So he launched himself in them and smiled when Miklan caught him.

“Hi,” he smiled to him.

“Hi… You look a bit better,” Miklan said under his breath.

“I look a bit better?”

“You looked so sad today…”

“Sorry,” Holst replied.

“Never say ‘sorry’ for that. You’re my Sunshine but it doesn’t mean you always have to be happy. Especially if something wrong is happening…”

Holst pressed a kiss on his cheek.

“Thank you.”

Miklan caressed his hair and removed his cape to pass it around Holst, hiding his face with the hood. He verified no one was there, looking; verified that the Count wouldn’t see him leave the estate.

It looked like they could leave so he moved to the wall and climbed it, thanks to his feet and one hand, and jumped from the other side. He could have let Holst walk but it would be quicker if he kept him in his arms. And Holst seemed to be delighted of this. He was snuggling in his arms, praising those muscles.

Miklan crossed the forest and they moved toward the little village. He hadn’t told to Holst he warned Glenn and honestly, here, he wondered if he would be there…

But as he approached, he could actually smell his odor.

Glenn was there, smelling vanilla, coffee, blood and Felix’s smell. He was hugging him too much… But he also really loved that about him and he wanted to smile…

Miklan couldn’t allow this to himself though.

As they approached, he slowed.

“Is something wrong?” Holst worried.

Miklan shook his head and put him on the floor. He realized he should have asked him to put on shoes because his naked feet were on the pretty wet and cold floor…

“Can I remove that?” Holst asked, his hand on the hood.

Miklan nodded and watched as his partner pushed it down and removed his hair from the fabric jail, letting them fall in front of his shoulder.

“How do I look?”

“Perfect…” Miklan replied without thinking.

Holst smiled and held out his arms to him.

“What?”

“I want to kiss you as much as you want it, though guy.”

“Holst…”

“Sorry,” the man replied.

“I saw Glenn today, he accompanied the Prince Dimitri.”

“Alright?”

“I couldn’t stop watching at him. I wanted him to touch me.”

Holst approached him. “Do you want me to step away?”

“I want you both.”

“Then kiss me if you want it,” Holst smiled.

He closed his eyes and moved his lips toward him.

“Holst…”

“Yes?”

He opened an eyelid.

“You said… you wanted us both, isn’t it?”

Holst nodded. He approached him and passed his arms around the broad shoulders.

“Do you think… he can accept that? That you and me keep saying each other while you and him…”

“And you and him, perhaps?” Holst smiled.

“I don’t think he can like me like that. Not anymore… Not when you’re just standing there.”

“We can figure it out only by asking him. But what do you want?” Holst asked. “Seeing me while I’d be in relationship with him or something between the three of us?”

“I don’t think I deserve to be with both of you at once.”

“Tss,” Holst replied. “Glenn would have very terrible taste if he doesn’t want you.”

“He wants you so I’d say he has marvelous taste,” Miklan protested.

Holst pressed a bit more his arms around him.

“We will ask _him_ what he wants. What do you think about it?”

“I’ll follow your choices no matter what. And if he asks you to choose…”

“Then, it would be you,” Holst cut short.

“You can’t…”

“I do what I want! I choose the one I want,” Holst protested. “I know what I will have if I stay with you.”

“I know what you will have if you pick him! He will bring you happiness,” Miklan stated.

Holst sighed and made him lean a bit on you, coming also on his tiptoe.

“Why can’t you understand,” he whispered before brushing their lips together.

Miklan groaned, wondering what he wanted to say that way and he leaned on him to kiss his lips.

A few seconds.

Just trees and Stars as witness.

And then, Holst forced himself to step away and let Miklan lead him to Glenn. It wasn’t difficult for Miklan at all and despite the very thick forest, he managed to reach to Glenn. Which, leaning against a tree, suddenly turned his head when he heard a tree branch crack under some weight. Seeing Holst and Miklan, he gently smiled.

He was just like earlier. Same clothes made from a sleeveless turtleneck and long mittens with the fishnet part covering his arms looking almost like metal; same boots and thick pants; same sword… In regard to him, his hair held in a bun thanks to the numerous braids and one used as a tie, they looked really miserable… Miklan had old clothes covered with dirt and half ripped even though Holst would pretend some holes had placed there thanks to the Goddess herself; and Holst was still wearing the same kind of clothes seemed to have been made from a patchwork of rags or thanks to curtain.

And yet… Glenn smiled.

“I hope we hadn’t made you wait too long,” Holst gently said, walking toward him.

“It’s fine, I’m glad for having wait,” he swore. “I just hoped you will come.”

“I’m here!” Holst smiled. He tugged on Miklan’s hand, passing his arm around the muscular forearm. “And Miklan too!”

“It would be hard to miss him,” Glenn smiled. “Thank you for having brought him here.”

Miklan just nodded.

He had to step away. He knew Holst said he wanted to choose him but he also knew he was doing a mistake. Glenn could give him happiness. Glenn could save him! If he stepped away before Holst would ask him to make a choice, he could be sure Holst will be blessed with the happiness, and the partner, he deserved.

“Listen,” Holst said.

“What a serious tone,” Glenn gently smiled.

But his eyes betrayed a real serious too.

Just as Miklan remembered it. Glenn was always serious, strict and the only one who could break his barrier was Felix… Even with him, back then, Glenn would always be all about duty, serving, giving his life for someone else…

“I know I gave you the feeling I was all free, but it’s wrong. Miklan and I don’t have just a ‘bodyguard’ relationship. He is my boyfriend…”

“Holst!” Miklan protested.

“Tell me you aren’t?” Holst said to him.

Miklan still couldn’t believe he could be worthy of those words. Could be worthy of being his boyfriend… Technically, there were a lot of signals, like the fact he always slept in his bed, or almost. But he only had a tiny room for him and his sister, of course he would leave the place to her.

That meant nothing.

Holst deserved better…

“I didn’t mean to break anything between you two,” Glenn said. “You’re kinda cute.”

Holst looked at him, at his smile.

“Thank you but… you see, when I look at your smile, I wanna kiss your lips…”

Glenn approached him and gently took his hand. Miklan couldn’t help just staring… He knew he looked weird but he couldn’t stop himself from looking…

“I want to kiss you too but…”

“You can run away,” Holst whispered.

Glenn shook his head. “I just need to know. Do you want to be with him and with me at once?”

“No,” Holst replied. “Or… well, it might be an option,” he recognized. “But…”

Holst looked at Miklan. He will not force him to talk.

“Will you be with Holst no matter what?” Miklan asked. “He won’t have to choose?”

Glenn nodded slightly.

“Glenn…” Holst whispered.

He wanted to kiss him now.

“I don’t think you remember me…” Miklan started.

“So you do remember me?” Glenn hissed, letting go of Holst’s hand.

Miklan nodded.

“If you remember me, why haven’t you say anything?!”

“I don’t know? Why didn’t you?” Miklan groaned.

“I’m not the one who threatened the other of death and who refused to tell how Sylvain is feeling lately!”

“Are you seriously madder at me because I hadn’t talked about my brother to you?”

There wasn’t anger in Miklan’s voice anymore. He was smiling…

“Yeah. Everybody is threatening me all the time, I’m used to it. But I expect to be able to smooch your brother when I heard he is somewhere nearby!”

“You hadn’t changed at all…”

Glenn stared at him, his arms folded.

“He is as fine as he can be,” Miklan said. “And he still cares a lot for you.”

“I’m glad to know. But then, why haven’t you said anything earlier? I thought you didn’t remember me!” Glenn groaned.

Holst stared at them.

“You had your hand on your sword!”

“Excuse you to be big and frightening! Even though…” Glenn unsheathed his sword and put it under Miklan’s chin. “I do know you enough to know it’s better to keep you at sword distance…”

“Stop!” Holst protested, placing himself between them.

As he did, he frowned because he just noticed Glenn’s smile. He looked at the sword and then at Miklan. His fingers were caressing that iron.

“Oh. Okay, sorry, I disturb.”

Holst paced away but he felt a big arm around him. Glenn’s eyes caressed his and he couldn’t help smiling. Glenn smiled too but at him this time. He approached him, moving his hand on the sword so he wouldn’t run through Miklan as he went on his tiptoe to request a kiss. Holst gladly gave it to him, feeling his lips against his lips, loving the feeling of their chest, their belly encountering each other as the arm moved away to let them approach each other.

Miklan felt the sword becoming a bit too annoying when he struggled to gulp, watching them. The image was even more enthralling than he believed. He felt no jealousy. In fact, he wanted to become just a tiny fly and being able to be there without disturbing them… He felt a hand on his and realized he hadn’t let go of Holst’s hips. He looked down, once second, to see Glenn’s hand intertwining his fingers with his. He couldn’t help a shiver to run through his spine.

Holst pulled away and looked at him with worries. But he hadn’t the time to say anything that Miklan leaned on him to kiss him as well. Holst couldn’t help smiling while replying to the kiss. But while he wanted it, wanted more, he pulled back and glanced at Glenn. Glenn let go of the sword, letting it fall on the floor and he moved toward Miklan, his fingers whipping away the droplets of blood, to kiss his lips.

Miklan’s arm closed around Glenn’s body and the other arm moved slightly, imprisoning Holst. He didn’t want to let them go. He didn’t want to let them leave… he wanted to keep them, cherish them…

Holst was still smiling, tenderly and he gently passed his fingers in Glenn’s hair. Feeling this, Glenn pulled away and looked at him.

“I didn’t want to disturb,” Holst said with a sorry tone.

“Huush,” Glenn said. “Come.”

Holst approached and smiled even more when he received a kiss.

“I want him to be loved too,” Holst whispered against his lips.

Glenn looked at him in the eyes, caressing his cheek.

“Holst, that’s useless,” Miklan groaned.

Glenn caressed Holst’s lips.

“So… I’m quite small, you kiss him and I kiss his neck?” Glenn smiled.

“I love the sound of that!”

“What?” Miklan said.

“You don’t want to?” Holst asked.

“I… want it so much,” he whispered.

But he didn’t understand. Why? How?

But before he could understand how two beautiful men like that could love him, he received a kiss on his lips and felt others on his neck and… it was perfect… A taste of Heaven…

Why those hairs couldn’t stay on place? Why there were always threads that had to run away and slap his face while he tried to train? According to Lambert, he would be a better Knight if he could get rid of this problem but his hair was so heavy and untamable! He worked on his other senses because he refused a hair problem to stop him from defending those he loved but… let’s be honest, if his hair kept growing that way… How often hadn’t he cut some thread by mistake with the edge of his sword and each time he did… he felt so terribly bad after. Not hating him for it because if he could, he would have cut this hair down, no he felt… sick. Ill.

He hated this mane.

The only nice thing it was bringing to him, in the end, was the care of Glenn but if he hadn’t that, he was sure Glenn would have find something else.

They didn’t need _that_ to be happy together.

Felix’s instincts suddenly told him to go close the window. His sword in his hand, he walked toward the window half-open. He glanced outside, through the forest, and hoped Glenn will come back very fast, whatever he was doing. Why he left?

Felix pressed his hands on the wooden frame when he saw a hand on the windowsill. He let out a hiccup of surprise and grabbed his sword.

“Don’t move forward!” he roared.

His tone was threatening, his tone was as cold as the mountains of Faerghus. And yet… yet, the hand moved, the body rose.

And Felix froze.

No…

No, it wasn’t possible.

“D… Don’t move,” he said with a steady and dark voice. “Don’t make one move or I slay you down!”

On the windowsill, the tall silhouette sat down, slowly.

It looked so awkward.

The way he was watching him…

But…

The red hair, the brown eyes.

“It’s you…” he whispered.

The guy got up.

“Don’t move!”

Felix held out his sword. He felt the edge caressing the guy’s throat and he stopped to move but stared at him.

“Felix… “

Felix had a shiver when he heard that voice saying his name. But it wasn’t even because _this voice_ was saying it. It was the tone, broken, sobbing… And… Felix’s sword fell on the floor and he dashed to him.

“Sylvain! Are you hurt?!”

His fingertips brushed the contour of his eyes and he watched at it. There were some scarlet droplets on it. He wasn’t hallucinating.

“I… I’m so sorry,” Sylvain whispered. “I don’t want to do this…”

He was sobbing and the scarlet kept coming from his eyes. He was… he was crying?

“Please… please, help me,” Sylvain said.

His hands were shivered, his arms were trembling. He was harshly breathing and struggling not to close his arms around him. Felix hated the fact he wanted to feel those arms around him, but he hated even more to see him like that.

“Sylvain…”

Felix’s hands closed on his shirt, shaking.

“I’ll do whatever to ease you,” he swore. “It’s fine… hold me…” he whispered.

He dreamed it. He just wanted that to be a hug…

“Felix… You… Don’t let me do,” he whispered. “If you let me do… Glenn will die… I have to bring you back to my master…”

Felix pulled away with surprise and anger mixed. His elbow was scratched by something and when he saw the blood roll along his skin, he realized Sylvain’s nails were now claws. Sharps. Frightening.

Tears, blood tears, were still rolling along Sylvain’s cheeks and the collar around his throat was glimmering. He roared and jumped on Felix.

Felix jumped away.

Damn! His sword was behind Sylvain now. Perhaps he should…

Sylvain dashed toward him again. Felix moved back, his back hitting violently the wall. He let out a hiccup when he felt the claws dug in his thigh. Felix breathed heavily and felt the claws move deeper, shredding his trouser in piece as he moved on the side.

Perfect.

Felix rolled on the floor, sliding his hand on the holes. He grabbed the handle of his knife and snatched it back. He looked at Sylvain and saw his brown eyes seeming so empty but… but they were still crying. He rolled on the side when the redhead dashed to him, hitting his head on the frame of the bed. Felix straddled Sylvain. He raised his knife and when he was about to dash it down, he froze.

He couldn’t.

He couldn’t hurt him…

Felix hiccupped when he felt a clawed hand on his belly.

“Felix…”

“Sylvain…” Felix whispered. He leaned over him. “I’m sorry.”

His knife darted the hand, making yap Sylvain and Felix pulled backward. He snatched his knife back, Sylvain’s blood jumping on his face. Felix stepped away and his breath was so short. Sylvain’s blood… droplets staining his lips. The taste of his blood in his mouth.

Sylvain got up, swiftly, and dashed to him. Felix moved away and launched an attack on his shoulder but he felt a hand around his hair and Sylvain tug violently on it, rolling the braid around his hand.

Felix’s fingers twitched.

Should he cut them?

Even though he knew he would be so weak but it was perhaps the best way to run away. Run away from him…

Run away from Sylvain?

Sylvain tugged on his hair, forcing him to come closer.

“Felix… Kill me…” Sylvain whispered. “That’s… the only way.”

Felix stared at him, tears rolling along his cheeks. Clear…

The knife crossed the room and sliced.

Sylvain hiccupped.

Felix pulled away.

And the braid fell on the floor while the rest of it was untying. Despite the huge part spreading on the parquet, Felix had still hair brushing the hollow of his knees. His heart was hammering in his chest but he dashed away.

If he reached Dimitri, Dedue, Ingrid…

Everything was turning around him.

Fuck.

“Ingrid!” he called. “BOAR!”

Something suddenly grabbed him by the waist, so violently, he tripped in the stairs and his head hit violently one of the steps.

Sylvain approached him, stepping down the stairs.

“Felix… Felix… Felix?” he called.

He wanted to touch his cheek, be sure he was breathing but, instead of that, he lifted him in his arms. As if he was his dear Princess, his dear Bride…


	8. A call to the Night

His head on Glenn’s shoulder, Holst was intertwining their fingers. He could feel Miklan’s arm around him and he felt good. So good… His life seemed to have vanished, the World had no sense, no meaning… it was just them… their respiration, their hands, their arms, the soft sound of their heartbeats.

They had kissed, they had talked, they have just enjoyed time together…

Holst wanted to see Glenn again.

Holst wanted to be with them again.

“Holst, Miklan…” Glenn said.

“Yes?” Holst asked, opening an eye.

“I need to leave, my little brother is waiting for me.”

“Oh. Of course, baby siblings come first, always!” Holst smiled. “Give him lot of smooches for me!”

Glenn smiled and nodded. He looked at Miklan.

“Give lot of kisses to Sylvain for me, please. I’d be so happy to…”

“I know,” Miklan said. “He will be glad to know you think about him.”

Holst smiled tenderly.

He wanted to stay a bit more with them. He wanted to kiss them but he knew this must be over. He knew this night will stop and all he could hope was to roll in Miklan’s bed and dream about them both…

“I need to go in Adrestia. We will stay there one week maximum but then, I can ask his Highness to come back here and I will bring you with me in Faerghus if it is what you want.”

“Yes,” Holst whispered. “Only if you promise me we will take my sister too.”

“I will bring her with us,” Glenn swore.

Holst smiled, taking his hands to squeeze them gently.

“I can’t leave and Sylvain neither,” Miklan said. “I belong to Gloucester…” He touched the collar. “He bought us. Our father sold us to him and now… now we only belong to him…”

“That’s why you both suddenly left…” Glenn whispered.

“Yes. I wanted to stay… I wanted to be with you.”

Glenn pinched his lips, looking down. Miklan wanted to ask if it was the same for him. He didn’t dare. It seemed like he had wanted more of him, or still cared for him at least… And yet, he didn’t dare.

“Are you sur there is no way to have you with us?” Glenn asked.

Miklan nodded.

“I prefer staying with Gloucester and be sure he won’t touch you,” he said. “I will protect you. Make you both happy on my own way…”

“Miklan…”

Holst held out his hand to touch his throat.

“It’s fine,” Miklan said. “I never wanted to reach happiness. Just to see those I love reaching it.”

“Idiot!” Glenn groaned. “Why are you saying such a thing?! You really believe you don’t deserve happiness?! You really believe we can’t make you happy?!”

“I believe you two are what can me the happiest in the World. With Sylvain. And I wish I can find a way for Sylvain to go with you but we can’t. He and I will be glad to have you both in security and happiness. Hilda too and…”

“You think Felix is happy?” Glenn replied. “He has been distraught. So distraught… And a bit after that, our father died at War.”

“Your mother can take care of you, right?” Holst asked.

Glenn shook his head.

“She died when giving life to Felix… She was so weak. She barely was able to live through the pregnancy… She…”

“You don’t have to say if you don’t want to… But I don’t have parents anymore as well. My father died at War and I was adopted by the Duke of the Alliance and then…”

“Holst!” Miklan protested.

“Oh… yes, I’m not supposed to talk about that…” he whispered.

“Why?” Glenn asked.

“I don’t know,” they both said on the same time.

Well, Miklan had a clue…

“Anyway, my mother left us when my father died. I don’t know if she is still alive somewhere or not but she is dead to me…”

“I’m sorry to hear,” Glenn said.

He gently squeezed back his hands and kissed tenderly his lips.

“My mother had eaten a rapunzel. It was magical? And she craved more and more but… she couldn’t have more. She started to just decline, wilt and… by the time of Felix’s birth, she couldn’t do anything and she gave him her life. I took care of him when I still was a young boy.”

“This is adorable,” Holst whispered. “I mean… not the part where…”

“I guessed so,” Glenn laughed a bit.

He whipped his eyes, taking back one of his hand. Holst leaned on him to kiss him under his eyes.

“I’m fine…”

“I will be there if ever you weren’t. And when we will leave, I’ll take care of you,” he swore, taking his hands to kiss his knuckles.

“I hope it will be something. I hope we will be together very soon. I will come saving you soon.”

Holst kissed him tenderly, pressing their forehead together.

“I can’t wait enough for this.”

“Just wait for me,” Glenn whispered.

“I will…”

Glenn looked at Miklan. “You too… I will find a way.”

“If you could…” Miklan groaned.

“I will,” Glenn stated. “I will do everything I can do for saving both of you.”

“Do you know how much I adore you?” Miklan whispered.

He approached him and brushed his throat.

He didn’t say it out loud but he adored him even more for actually trying his best for someone he barely met. As long as Holst would be fine, he will be glad; as long as Glenn would take care of Holst and perhaps of Sylvain? It would be perfect… But if he could be with him. With them…

If only…

Leaving them had been hard but Glenn had managed to force himself to leave and now he had the heart so light because he had seen two people he cared very much but when he will come back, the one he would care the more for would be there…

His Felix.

Glenn couldn’t help walking a bit faster, going to the inn.

He pushed open the door and saluted the landlord. Who stared at him. Stangely…

“Is it something wrong?” Glenn wondered.

“You are with that Noble blond, right?”

“Yes?”

“He wants to see you.”

Glenn didn’t even nod and dashed upstairs, running to his Highness’ room. But he couldn’t help stopping because he saw the door of his room open and it wasn’t like Felix? His Chivalry’s soul told him to dash to Dimitri since he wanted to see him, it could be important, grave! But his brother’s soul was stronger…

Felix was his entire life…

He walked toward his door, pushing it and… gasped when he saw the long dark blue mane spreading on the floor.

“Fe… Felix?” he hiccupped.

The sword of his baby brother was still laying on the floor. The window was open!

“FELIX?!”

He dashed to the window, jumping above the hair because he just couldn’t step on it. He leaned over the sill and felt arms around him. He swirled, his sword in the hand.

“Glenn!!”

The edge of his blade could have entered Dedue’s flesh but Glenn stopped right before. In the threshold, Ingrid and Dimitri stared at him with fear.

“I wouldn’t have jumped,” Glenn said between his teeth. “Except if you announce me that my brother is dead and then, no one can stop me to join him!”

“I think he is alive!” Dimitri quickly said. “But we don’t know where he is.”

“We have heard him yell after Dimitri,” Ingrid said. “For just one second, we thought he was angry for no reason and then we realized his tone was… wasn’t very… normal?”

“We heard a huge sound,” Dedue pursued, letting go of Glenn.

Glenn touched gently his hand as an excuse gesture.

“And nothing?” he whispered.

“Nothing…” Dimitri replied.

“We searched him. We called him.”

Glenn stepped away from Dedue and retrieved his brother’s sword before moving to the threshold. The Prince and the Knight moved away to let him pass and watched as he climbed down the stairs, dashing to the doors.

“FELIX!” he called.

He put the sword at his belt and tried to see if there were any clues where he could be. The path leading to the inn was just covered with different footprint he couldn’t have recognized Felix’s. He couldn’t have recognized any… Not even some people that would feel heavier because they would have the weight of Felix in their arms. He was… so thin, so light, but also so deadly frightening. How could anyone have kidnapped him? It was non-sense. How could he even believe that?

But the other option would have been that Felix had run away and… frankly, it was even more unbelievable.

Why would he have run away?

“FELIX HUGO FRALDARIUS?!” he yelled.

His heart was beating so hard in his chest as he dashed to the wood boarding the inn. It hurt. It hurt so much. He couldn’t lose him.

Why wasn’t he with his brother?!

Why was he flirting like an idiot instead of protecting his brother?!

He was the worst. He hated himself.

Glenn walked in the forest, going further in the depth of it, going were the Moon and the Stars couldn’t reach him and light his path, light his way to Felix.

And there was no Felix.

Even if he called, even if his heart was beating so hard that it seemed it would explode in his chest.

Sothis, please… Please… he would give any bite of happiness he could have if he was allowed to see his brother back, to hug him again.

Please…

What should he do?

What should he do?!

Perhaps he should dash to Gloucester’s mansion and beg for Miklan’s help? Miklan could find him back! But… but can Miklan come and help him? Save his baby brother?

“Felix…” he called, weakly.

Tears were wetting his eyes, gathering at their edge and threatening to roll on his cheeks…

“Glenn?”

Glenn turned his head, his body shivering.

“Felix!” Glenn dashed to him and took him in his arms. “You idiot! Why have you… Why weren’t you at the inn?! What happened?! Are you fine? Look at me,” he said, taking his cheeks in his hands. “Are you hurt?”

“Glenn… you’re crying…” Felix said, harvesting the tears on his fingers.

“I’m relieved… What would have done without you. What happened?!”

“Such a story. A guy tried to abduct me for my hair. I cut them down to free myself but he managed to drag me in the wood and I took the opportunity that he thought he had won to struck him down.”

“That’s my baby,” Glenn whispered, tugging his cheeks down a little so he could kiss his forehead.

“Say, Glenn… I’ve a weird question.”

“Yes?”

“Are you in love?”

“What? You are upset because I hadn’t told you ‘I love you’ since like… four hours? It’s been so long, you’re right! I love you!”

Felix smiled.

“So, are you?”

Glenn pressed his finger on his brother’s nose.

“Yes. I’m in love, I think. But… why talking about that when I can hug you.”

“Wait!”

Glenn frowned.

Felix held out an apple to him.

“I found this beautiful apple. The only apple around and I immediately thought about you.”

“This is cute,” Glenn said, taking the apple. “I love you.”

He bit in the apple.

Felix smiled.

“I love you too.”

“Wh…”

Glenn hiccupped in surprise. It couldn’t be Felix.

But the apple blocked in his throat and he couldn’t breath. Even less begging this guy to tell him where was his little brother. He couldn’t cough.

He could just fall on the floor and see the smile of not-Felix as his conscious vanished and the World with it.


	9. Falling ashes

Miklan’s head appeared above the big wall surrounding the Mansion. He came down and looked at Holst before nodding. He grabbed him by the waist and lifted him, meaning to push him on the wall. But Holst passed his arms around his broad shoulders.

“Wait a second, tuff guy…” He caressed his lips. “Are you happy?”

“I have you in my arms and we came back from seeing that lovely guy…”

“So, yes?” Holst smiled.

Miklan wanted to reply ‘I suppose’ but he just nodded. He kissed him tenderly and then pushed him above the wall. He climbed it as well and jumped on the floor. He swirled on his heels and held out his arms to Holst whom jumped there and rolling his arms around his shoulders.

“Do you think we have a bit of time?” he whispered.

“What do you want, Sunshine?” Miklan smiled.

“Take a guess?” Holst winked.

“You will have it,” Miklan replied. “You will have everything.”

“I’m so excited…” Holst said under his breath, snuggling in his arms.

The big redhead led him to his room. He was holding him tight in his arms. Holst was landing kisses on his neck, on his face and losing his fingers in his red hair, whispering blue words in his ear.

Miklan groaned with desire.

He couldn’t wait lying him on his bed, or perhaps on the floor, against the wall… Perhaps the three of it?

He walked down the corridor leading to his room and suddenly froze.

“What?” Holst whispered, surprised.

He turned the head and jumped on the floor, dashing to the door. Sylvain was sat in front of it, rolled in a tight ball.

“Vainvain?” Holst asked, kneeling on the floor next to him.

“Holst…”

Holst caressed his hair. “Is something wrong?”

Miklan approached as well, crouching next to them.

“I’m fine…” he whispered. “But… can I sleep with you tonight?” he asked to Miklan, and then Holst.

“Sylvain…”

“You don’t look very right,” Miklan protested.

He leaned on him and saw the fresh wound in his hand.

Gloucester…

If only he could kill him.

He dreamed of this moment. But he sadly knew… It will always be a dream and nothing more.

He will never been able to protect Sylvain. Despite Glenn’s wishes… If only it was that easy. But this Hell was their home since so long… If there was any option, he would take it. Miklan frowned, taking Sylvain’s wounded hand. Sylvain watched at him and Miklan could hear the heartbeat grew stronger.

“With the mirror, it’s possible to know how to break the collars,” Miklan said under his breath. “How I never thought at this before?”

“You had no hope…” Holst whispered back. “Now you have. Someone can take care of Sylvain. Of you. Because you have to come with us. Promise me…”

Sylvain closed his arms a bit more around him.

He had no hope.

He didn’t want to leave anyway because… because he couldn’t leave without Felix. He didn’t even know where he was. He had to find him. He had to…

He wanted to cry but he tried not to.

Not in front of them.

If Miklan could have a bit of hope. Once…

His brother never hoped and for the first time, the first time since they were in this Hell, he could dream of something bigger.

He knew Miklan used to _dream_ about Holst but he never dared to hope even touching him. When it happened, it just… happened.

He couldn’t break his brother’s hope like that.

He couldn’t…

“Holst!”

The night had been so long, out of sorrow and worries; and soon it was over with a ‘resting night’, Holst was already trying to do all his chores after having brought Bernadetta to the kitchen.

But when he heard this voice…

Who could care about chores?!

He dashed to Hilda and her pouty face.

“What’s wrong?” he asked. “Who I have to kill?!”

“Gloucester!”

“Oh, I dream of it,” Holst replied. And then frowned. “Wait… Are we talking about the asshole or Lorenz?”

“The asshole!”

“I dream of it!”

“Come!”

Hilda took his hand to bring him after her. He closed his hand on her and looked at her with worries. She hadn’t said many things about the wedding but he knew it was a Damocles sword hanging above their head…

Above her head…

He wanted her to feel well. He couldn’t help enough for Glenn to come back and offering them a way out. And now… now, he didn’t know what to do. He knew he talked about a few days but the wedding will be soon. Too soon. He refused to let Gloucester marry Hilda…

She needed to stay happy.

To be free.

Every second, every chore he was taking on himself… they were only made in this mindset.

He didn’t care about his own happiness as long as she was happy. Because is she was happy, how could he be unhappy?

He followed her as they walked through the corridors and he knew he would have a lot of work later but… who cared?

He could deal with that as long as he could have one or two break with Miklan, perhaps…

“Look at this!” Hilda said with an indignant look.

She held out her hand toward a mannequin where there was the ugliest dress they never saw. The ugliest cloth they never saw. And Holst was wearing rag clothes!

“He wants you to wear that? I don’t know what the most horrible… the fact that he wants to marry you or he wants you to wear that horrible thing.”

“If he doesn’t hate me, I don’t know what it is,” Hilda sighed.

“Yeah…”

“Perhaps we can make it more beautiful?” she offered, looking at her brother.

“I don’t know… we certainly can but I don’t want you to wear that. I don’t want you to marry him… I want to kill him…”

Hilda hugged him tenderly.

“My big brother!”

“I want you to be happy only,” he whispered.

“Thank you. I want you to be happy only too.”

She hugged him a bit more and then paced backward and pressed her fingers on the dress.

“But perhaps if I made it prettier and also pink…” she bit her lower lip. “What you think about it? Perhaps we can add flowers?”

“I love your mind!” he said. “You sure can make it! If it’s pink and we remove some veils…”

Holst tilted his head on the side.

“Yes!” Hilda smiled.

“You are here, I was searching you everywhere,” a voice said behind Holst. “You still smell deliciously good.”

Holst couldn’t help smiling when he felt kisses on his throat.

“Miklan, have you say hello to my sister?”

“Fuck,” Miklan said, pulling backward. “Hello, Hilda…”

“You didn’t recognize our room?” she smirked. “That’s because you keep my brother in hostage too often!”

“I just smelled my way through,” the big redhead replied. “You know I have to keep an eye on you, Sunshine…”

“Yes. Your eyes and whatever you want,” Holst smiled.

“You are with your sister, though, so I will leave you a bit of intimacy. I will do a part of your chores.”

“I will come soon,” Holst swore. “And if I don’t… you can smell me a bit more not to forget my perfume?” he offered.

“I won’t forget it,” Miklan swore.

He glanced at Hilda who pressed her hands over her face. Holst smiled and looked at him. Miklan leaned to smell his throat and landed kisses on it until reaching his lips to kiss them. Holst replied to his kiss, letting his hands go in the vivid red hair.

“I have to leave,” Miklan said against his lips.

“Yes. I’ll join you soon.”

Holst smiled and looked at him as he was walking away. When Miklan had disappeared, he turned toward Hilda who smiled.

“Someone will get it!” she grinned.

“I’m always getting it.”

“That’s because you’re perfect!”

“Aaaaaw!”

Hoslt walked toward her and gently took her hands in his.

“Be patient, my little Princess… Glenn said he will offer us somewhere to go. I promise you, you won’t marry Gloucester. If one day someone is worthy of you… which I doubt because you’re too perfect for that, I will lead you to the altar but not for this guy. If Glenn doesn’t come soon, we will run away and… And I don’t know.”

“You’re happy… not here but with Miklan. You take care of Sylvain and Bernadetta. We can’t just…”

“Miklan and Sylvain come with us. I don’t know for Bernadetta… she isn’t badly treated and she appreciate her life at some point. But if I could… if it was possible to kill Gloucester, you know I would.”

“I know. And I know you can’t. I wouldn’t want your pretty hands to be dirty…”

“It’s fine,” Holst replied, shaking his head. “My hands have seen worst,” he winked.

“Should I wash my hands now?”

“It’s fine!” he laughed. He hugged her tenderly. “I would just kill anyone if you’d asked me. Anything to make you happy.”

“Like… You would kill Miklan? Wait! No! No, you would say something dirty!” she protested.

He hugged her more.

The truth was that… yes, he would. But he also knew she would never ask because she didn’t want to hurt him.


	10. The tallest tower

According to the spicy smell barely covering iron and blood, to the perfume of Faerghus’ fresh breeze, it was here… In the tallest tower of the Mansion. That tower used to be a silo but it had been left abandoned years and years ago. The old door wasn’t very used anymore because it didn’t open correctly anyway.

But according to the smell, it was here.

Only one window was opening on the upper place. Old wooden panels…

Sylvain moved his fingers to the collar and closed his eyes, deeply breathing.

Made it work.

Made it work!

He felt the magic infusing him and, when he opened the eyes, he noticed… that everything was still the same? He hadn’t managed to shapeshift?

No…

No!

What was he supposed to do if he couldn’t shapeshift anymore?

What can he do?!

“Felix! Felix! Lay down your hair that I can climb that tower!” he shouted, rising his arms as if he called the Goddess and… hoping.

The old panels opened and a long blue mane fell from the window.

Sylvain’s heart hammered in his chest and he sprinted to the tower. He pressed a kiss on the hair.

“I will be as gentle as possible,” he swore.

Sylvain climbed the tower, holding as firmly the hair he could. He knew he wasn’t always gentle and when he could, he used his claws to help himself. At least, he still could do that…

He didn’t know how long passed, ten minutes, fifteen minutes… please not more than that? He didn’t want to hurt Felix that long! But finally, he managed to climb on the windowsill, his claws digging in the wood.

“You fine?” he asked, looking at Felix who tugged on his hair to bring them inside.

“I can deal with your weigh,” Felix groaned. “Don’t move, I’m about to push you down that tower!”

Sylvain sat cross-legged.

“I’m waiting,” he said with a light smile.

Something was disturbing him but he couldn’t say what. He was just staring at him. Looking his face, his eyes… He had changed so much and so little at once in four years.

“Why the ears and the tail?” Felix asked, approaching him.

“Excuse me?”

“Why the ears and the tail,” Felix repeated, pointed them three one by one.

Sylvain tilted his head on the side and moved his fingers in the forest of red hair. And encountered something. Pointy. He looked down to notice a long fluffy red tail with the white tip.

“Oh… I tried to shapeshift but it didn’t work. I thought… I didn’t want to make you throw your hair that way? They are so long… How is it possible?”

Felix shrugged, coming closer.

“It always had been like that.”

He approached him and slid his fingers along the wound on his cheek. Magic came from his fingertips, making vanish the scar.

“And now… you push me?” Sylvain smirked.

“Perhaps, or…”

Felix looked away as he opened the arms slightly. Sylvain got up, hesitated two endless seconds and gently brought him against his chest, pressing his freshly healed cheek in his hair. His tail rolled around his legs, their legs, hugging him as well.

“I could tie your hair if you wa…”

“What happened to Glenn?” Felix asked.

Four years… four years to wait for him, to hope he could ask him what was wrong with him and… and his two first questions were ‘are you hurt’ and ‘what happened to Glenn’…

Well, he had asked for his fox-attributes but that didn’t change the situation.

Finding Sylvain back should have been full of love! He should have jumped at his neck, kiss him, loving his embrace. Not fighting his tremors because he was deadly afraid he would tell him Glenn was no more…

“My Master killed him…”

“No…”

Felix pulled backward.

It hurt.

It hurt so much…

He tried to protect him. He did his best to be sure his brother would be save, he never told him he loved him, he protected him, right? But… But Glenn was dead… should he have told him how much he loved him?

“Wh… why?” Felix asked.

“He loved the wrong person…”

Felix shook his head. “You’re saying non-sense. You can’t…”

“Glenn fell in love with Holst Prudentia Goneril, the real heir of the Alliance… A testament attests it. But my master hides it. And he fears that Holst will take over his Dominion…”

“My brother had nothing to do with that!” Felix roared.

“The Duke Fraldarius?! The favorite nephew of the King of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus?! Who wanted to help him to run away? Who knows what he will have allowed Holst to discover? That’s what he believes!” Sylvain protested.

He approached Sylvain, ears tugging backward and gently caressing his cheeks.

“I’m so sorry, Felix…”

“There is something to do,” Felix whispered.

“He is dead,” Sylvain replied. “You can’t do anything. I’m so sorry about it, Felix…”

“No… No… No!” he protested.

Felix stepped away from him, walking toward the old mattress that had been laid on the floor.

“No…”

“Felix…”

“No… I refuse to believe that. I refuse to… Why I am there?!” he asked to Sylvain.

Sylvain’s heart broke when he saw the tears along his cheeks. He walked toward him and Felix paced backward. He tripped on his hair and fell on the floor with a loud moan.

“Shit!”

Sylvain held out his hands to help Felix but this one slapped his hand away.

“Don’t touch me! It’s your fault!!!”

Sylvain closed his eyes.

“You’re right… I tried to protect you. I tried to protect you and told Gloucester everything… but it didn’t work. He found you anyway… and then he forced me to… You should have killed me, Fe’…”

“Wh… what?”

“You should have killed me… You wouldn’t be there… Glenn would be alive. He is more important than me…”

“Wh… what?” Felix whispered.

“I should have protected you by ki…”

“Don’t say that!” Felix protested.

Getting up, he walked to him to smash his hand on his chest. “You are important to me! Don’t say that!”

Sylvain let him hit him. Repetitively. He passed his arms around him and pressed his head on his, saying nothing as the fist hammered his chest.

The more he hit, the less he was doing it strongly. At the end, it more looked like a caress on his chest.

“Sorry…” Sylvain whispered.

“Why you left…?” Felix said under his breath.

“Four years ago?”

Felix rested his hand on his chest, against his heart. His other hand came lower, caressing Sylvain’s tail. He let out a satisfied sigh when he felt the hand in his fur and he closed a bit more his arms around him, rubbing his head against his.

Felix couldn’t help smiling a little.

“Father sold us to Gloucester… Gloucester is a collector of supernatural creatures. I think they made a deal or something… Father just wanted to get rid of the monsters he had created, not knowing mother was a Kitsune… It’s why you’re here,” he whispered. “He wants you. He wants your magic… He will tam you and…”

“No one can tam me,” Felix protested.

Sylvain pressed a kiss on his forehead.

“That’s even more frightening… I don’t want him to hurt you…”

“Too late, he killed my brother. I will end his miserable live,” Felix groaned.

Sylvain didn’t tell him for the enchant on the collar. If Felix could get his revenge…

“I… It will be weird,” Sylvain whispered, pressing their forehead together. “But… I still love you…”

“I changed,” Felix stated.

Cold.

“I changed too…”

“How can you know you will love the one I became?”

“It’s true… You were always so careless, considerate, almost shy…” Sylvain softly laughed. “And now… now you hit me, you want to kill a man, you…”

“HE DESERVES IT!”

“You want to push me from the tower.”

“I didn’t really want it!” Felix protested.

“You so loud…” Sylvain whispered.

He gently cupped his face and leaned over him.

“I love it. I love you…”

Felix felt his heart beating so fast in his chest.

“If you love me…”

Sylvain looked up at him, their lips almost touching. Felix immediately looked away.

“If you love me, you can’t say those words… I think you shouldn’t even love me… People who love me die… That might be… That might be the curse of that flower,” he whispered. “I lost you, then father and now…”

“Felix. I’m here. You haven’t lost me!”

“Then… Then, can Glenn can come back?” he asked under his breath.

“You know what?” Sylvain whispered.

Felix watched him with hope.

“It exist a mirror here that knows everything. Absolutely everything. I will ask it if there is a way to bring back Glenn to live. If there is an option, I will help you…”

Felix snuggled in his arms.

“Thank you. Thank you so much,” he whispered, fighting against his tears.

“I can’t promise you anything but if there is a solution… Any solution, I will find it for you.”

“You hadn’t changed that much…” Felix said. “You still bend over backwards to make me happy. When we were young, you passed one hour to try to get a peach for me.”

“I got it!” he replied with a smile.

“You did.”

“Do you want me to take care of your hair? They need to be tied, no?”

“Don’t you need them to come down that tower?” Felix asked.

“It’s fine,” Sylvain replied. “We’ll found a way. I want you to feel well. I don’t know how long you’ll stay here. I should… I should bring you food, too. I… Yeah, listen, you help me to get down and I come back with everything to take care of you. And I will possibly get your reply for Glenn… How… How does it look for you?” he asked.

Felix nodded.

“Perfect…”

Sylvain caressed his cheek.

“I will come back. I will always come back…”

“Please. Come back again… Come back and I’ll give you the kiss you crave for.”

“Is this coercion?”

“No… I just want to be sure you will come back.”

“I will,” Sylvain swore.

He caressed his cheekbone and then walked backward to go to the window. Felix followed him and threw his hair on the other side. He glanced at Sylvain who climbed on the windowsill.

“I swear I will do my best not to tug your hair.”

“Don’t worry,” Felix replied. “I can deal with that. Just… come back. Come back with good news. Tell me Glenn can be with me again…”

“If he cans, I will tell it to you immediately.”

His hand caressed his throat tenderly.

“See you later, Fe’…”

“Come back,” Felix asked.

He looked as the redhead started to climb down the tower. Felix held his hair to help support the weigh. His second hand, though, was shaking on the old wood of the windowsill and he looked at him, looked at the big ears moving on the edge of his head.

“I love you…” he whispered.


	11. The Mirror's glass

Sylvain knew he had to go to Gloucester’s room.

How could he do it?

Perhaps he should ask to Hilda to help him? After all, she was his fiancée! Who could help him better than her?

Miklan knew he had to go to Gloucester’s room.

How could he do it?

Perhaps he should ask to Holst to help him? But it was just disgusting… He knew how much Gloucester was interested by him but he could also call him over a stupid excuse. However, he was afraid the man could hurt Holst. And he didn’t accept anyone to hurt his Holst…

Dashing through the corridors, Sylvain was going to Hilda’s room. But he frowned when he sensed Miklan and Holst’s perfume approaching. He felt also a bit bad because he knew he hadn’t helped the young man with the chores today. Holst would probably don’t mind. But Sylvain was minding.

He bit his lower lip and walked toward the smell.

When he arrived next to them, he facepalmed.

“Please, find a room,” he said.

“Sylvain?” Miklan hiccupped.

“Yeah.”

“What the hell is happening with you?”

“Is it that wrong that I don’t want to see my bro’ doing… weird stuff with my friend?” Sylvain smirked.

“Sexy friend,” Holst corrected. “But I think he meant… the cute foxy stuff.”

“Oh. Yes. I tried to shapeshift and it became like that but I can’t shapeshift back…” Sylvain shrugged.

He thought it was because of the collar and that just made him hate Gloucester even more.

Miklan let out a mocking laugh. “You can’t shapeshift back! You always do the most ridiculous things! I can’t believe it!”

“Oh come on! Look at him!” Holst moved away from the wall and hugged Sylvain before gently touch his furry ear. “Look how cute it is! I wanna pet those ears forever!!”

Sylvain’s tail gently waved in the air and he let out a happy sound, snuggling in the loving arms.

“How have you shapeshifted like that?” Miklan asked with a tone full of desire. Need.

“So, I’m not ridiculous anymore?!” Sylvain snickered.

Miklan groaned.

“It’s fine, Miklan. I’ll pet your ears too, even if they’re not fluffy and cute,” Holst winked at him. “But I love this little fox here.”

“Love you too, Holst,” Sylvain said, hugging him more. “Sorry again for yesterday night, it looks like I keep cockblocking you.”

“You do but you have cute ears so I forgive,” Holst smiled.

“It’s fine,” Miklan replied. “Do you feel better?”

Sylvain just hugged Holst a bit more.

Miklan groaned and approached to caress his brother’s hair. What the hell was happening? He hoped it wasn’t because of Gloucester or he will really slay him down. He needed to remove his spine, his guts from his body…

“While you two are hugging, I will do some stuff,” Miklan said. “Keep an eye on Holst, Syl’, please.”

“Miklan…” Holst groaned.

He knew it was to protect him because it was Gloucester’s orders but… it was just so annoying.

“I can’t,” Sylvain replied. “I have to do something too. I was just coming to say ‘hi’ to Holst.”

“To Holst…” Miklan repeated.

“And to you too!!!” Sylvain smirked.

“It’s fine, I can do my chores alone,” Holst replied.

“You would do it faster alone,” Sylvain grinned.

“Frankly… yes. Even though if I could have your brother, I…”

“The limits, Holst,” Sylvain begged.

“I’m just saying… Ugh!” Holst pouted. “Fine. Just go do your stuff and I do those chores.” He turned away. “I just think this body isn’t pretty just to be watched!”

“I love him so much…” Miklan whispered as he looked him leaving.

“Why you don’t say that to him?” Sylvain asked.

“Because he deserves better.”

Sylvain stared at him, almost sure he had heard him whisper ‘like Glenn’. And he didn’t know what it means. Did Glenn deserve better than him too or did Holst deserve Glenn? He was confused… and even more by the fact that his brother was walking with him as he moved toward Gloucester’s room.

“Uh… where do you go?” Sylvain asked.

“Can ask it to you?” Miklan smirked back.

Sylvain shook his head.

“Now I wonder,” he said. “Where do you go?”

“I say don’t ask,” Sylvain replied.

Miklan frowned because he knew where he was going to and it was weird that Sylvain was doing exactly the same thing. He grabbed him by the shoulders and stuck him on the wall. Sylvain’s eyes widened.

“What are you doing, Sylvain?”

“What are you doing, Miklan?”

The older sighed. He shook his head, annoyed.

“I need to use the Mirror.”

Sylvain smirked. “Me too…”

“Sylvain…” he groaned. “I don’t want you to be hurt!”

As he said those words, Miklan realized that the scar on his cheek had disappeared.

“I don’t want you neither to be hurt…”

Miklan shook his head again. “It’s my duty to protect you. What do you want to ask to the mirror, I’ll ask it for you and you will distract Gloucester.”

Sylvain pinched his lips. “I can’t tell it to you.”

“I won’t bring you there.”

“I don’t need your agreement…”

Miklan groaned. “Fine! You come with me and we pose your question but we use my blood! I will make him come outside and give you my blood. I don’t want you to be hurt more than you already are.”

Sylvain bit his lower lip, looking away.

“Okay. But you?”

“Can ask him later. I have a bit of time,” Miklan swore.

“Okay…”

Miklan pulled away and walked to the mirror’s room.

“Eh…?”

“What?” Miklan asked.

“You remember when we were young and you were always jealous because mother always cared for me… and Glenn later? You were so mean…”

“I know…” Miklan whispered. “I shouldn’t have. I care for you, Sylvain. The first time I saw Gloucester hitting you, I decided I would protect you… I realized that I did horrible things to you and you deserved better. You shouldn’t be stuck with me…”

“I never cared when you hurt me,” Sylvain said. “I knew father was harsh with you. I knew you hated me because they never showed you love and… and I wanted to show you love. I want to show you love.”

“It’s difficult for me to interact with love,” Miklan replied. “I don’t understand how you can love me after everything I did to you when you were young. Hitting you, pushing you, insulting you…”

“But you started to protect me and take care of me when we arrived here and you saw what Gloucester did to me. I’m sure, if you knew father was…”

Miklan closed his hands in a tight balls.

Yes…

He should have known he was suffering too at home. Their mother loved so much Sylvain and everybody saw him as a cute and beautiful baby when he, he had disgraceful face, body… He thought his father’s hate was only turned toward him… but when he discovered Sylvain had suffered that much…

“I love you, Sylvain. I will protect you… I just wish I could show you how much… I’m just not good at that.”

“You’re better at that than you believe it. And if you could see it, perhaps you could understand…”

Sylvain sighed.

“What?” Miklan asked.

“Nothing… I’m just glad I can hear you say ‘I love you’,” he smiled.

“Yeah don’t dream too much! Remember well those words because you won’t hear them often.”

Sylvain laughed as he followed him.

They walked to Gloucester’s room and Miklan knocked hard at the door.

The door opened after a moment.

Miklan had a good lie because… it used to be a truth.

“Master.” Miklan bowed. “Holst asked us to come do the cleaning in your ro…”

“Miklan and Sylvain…” he said. “I always thought you were useless, dumb… and you are both, of course but not that useless. Enter. Both of you.”

Sylvain tensed.

He didn’t like his tone.

“I thought I should accompany you outside and so we could make your room without annoying you?” Miklan said.

“Enter!” Gloucester commanded.

Miklan walked in and he didn’t even know if it was from his own will or not. Sylvain followed and Miklan swirled on his heel, when heard him hiccup on pain and the door slam. Gloucester just had closed the door and smashed Sylvain’s head against it.

Miklan wanted to attack his Master but his will, the collar, was stopping him. He could just stare…

“Miklan, I have an important question for you. Do you remember that Glenn Fraldarius?”

“Who?” Miklan groaned.

Gloucester smashed Sylvain’s head against the door again. Miklan gekkered, his claws appearing, his fangs appearing…

“I know who he is, that Knight the other day. But who care?!”

“I care,” Gloucester replied.

“What did you think about him?”

Miklan shrugged.

Gloucester smirked.

“You will tell me that you send your Messalina sees that guy because you are fully dedicated to Holst’s happiness?”

Miklan growled.

“He is not a Messalina!” Sylvain protested.

“Silence,” Gloucester said. “Miklan… why have you brought Holst to Glenn despite my orders… Holst needs to see no one, to talk to no one.”

“Holst doesn’t need that!” Sylvain barked. “You need that!”

Gloucester closed his hand on his throat.

“Silence, I said. Miklan… I asked a question.”

He took a knife and caressed Sylvain’s shoulder with it.

Sylvain wanted to move but the magic around him was forcing him to stay against the door.

“That’s non-sense!”

Sylvain let out a scream when the knife entered his bicep.

Miklan roared and his fist dashed through the air. But he couldn’t touch Gloucester. He received an order, so many years ago… His fingers were twitching.

“Reply to the question, Miklan.”

“Miklan!” Sylvain protested.

Miklan shook his head. When the knife entered in Sylvain’s flesh, his brother made his best not to show his pain, blood rolling along his chin, tears surrounding his eyes.

“Miklan… why have you disobeyed my orders to bring your Messalina see another man?”

“He…” Sylvain yelled when the knife entered his flesh again.

Gloucester threw him on the floor, at Miklan’s feet.

Miklan leaned in to help him, protect him.

“Don’t touch him,” Gloucester commanded.

The collar shone.

The mage approached Sylvain, tugging on his fox ears.

“This is so disgraceful… Let me fix that. Don’t move, Sylvain.”

“They love each other!” Miklan protested. “I wanted Holst to be happy for once! The guy will leave so who cares. It will just be nice memories.”

Gloucester let go of Sylvain and approached Miklan, walking on Sylvain’s hand.

“You said that as if you cared for him, for more than his body. But I saw your look for that Knight, Glenn… And Sylvain knew him.”

“We are from Faerghus! Our family is powerful and the Fraldarius is powerful too. We used to grow up with him and that’s all.”

“I see, I see… But which one do you love?”

“This question is non-sense! I can’t love!” Miklan roared.

Sylvain’s fingers moved on the floor. He wanted to protest. Not to put his brother his danger but because he always showed him love… His fingers moved and he could feel the blood slid along his limbs.

Fuck…

“Miklan. Don’t play with me,” Gloucester said.

“I’m not playing!”

“Why are you making things so hard…”

Gloucester knelt next to Sylvain and he grabbed him by the ears, tugging his head backward. The knife slid against his throat and Miklan hiccupped with horror. He wanted to kill him. He would kill him.

Sylvain threw him a look of pity. Not for him to talk but the contrary. And the growl coming from his chest, making his throat shiver against the knife was quite significant for Miklan. For someone like them…

But he couldn’t…

He couldn’t allow this.

It was beyond his strengths…

“I love them both… I wanted them to be happy, no matter what, because I craved their happiness…” he whispered. “I’m sorry, Sylvain…”

Sylvain smiled to him, telling him it was okay in such a way…

But now.

Now…

It wasn’t just for Felix…

Sylvain twitched, moved…

“What the…” Gloucester hiccupped.

Sylvain threw his hand on the man’s face and pulled away, blood sliding on his throat. He jumped and dashed to the mirror.

“Sylvain!”

Miklan moved to place himself between his brother and their Master.

Sylvain passed his bloody hand on the glass.

“Tell me how to relive Glenn Victor Fraldarius?!”

“To what?!” Miklan hiccupped.

The mirror’s surface absorbed the scarlet.

“NO!” Gloucester roared.

“You can’t relive him because he isn’t dead,” the mirror replied.

“What?!”

Gloucester walked toward the brothers. Miklan grabbed him but the mage didn’t care. One blood or another… His knife opened Miklan’s shoulder, making him growl and red droplets hit Sylvain and the mirror.

“Why he isn’t dead?! Mirror, mirror of golden frame, why Glenn Victor Fraldarius isn’t dead?!”

“Your magic is powerful but not deadly. The apple you have him eaten made him lost conscious and his soul is asleep.”

Sylvain bit his palm and slammed it on the glass. Miklan protested and Gloucester laughed.

“Yes… tell me…” the mage smiled.

Sylvain shook. He had to ask. He had to ask but Gloucester would know…

But… the man would know no matter what…

“How can I wake up Glenn Victor Fraldarius?!”

“You can’t…”

Sylvain’s ear came backward and Gloucester laughed even more. Miklan knew he couldn’t attack him but he could hurt him and he closed his arms around him. Tighter, making him hiccup.

“Only a true love kiss can wake him up.”

“A true love kiss?” Sylvain whispered.

“Miklan!” Miklan’s collar started to shine. “Bring me back Holst’s heart. And be happy… this would be the only time you would have a chance to get it.”


	12. Matter of Heart

It was too much.

Way too much!

Hilda wanted to help her brother but she hated the chores he had to do. No wonder why his hands were in such a sad state because when she saw him, on his four, washing the floor… Well, that also explained his hurt knees! But it was way too much for her.

“Can I stooooop? I’m too tired,” Hilda moaned.

Holst looked up at her and smiled.

“Nothing forces you, my Princess. Go run away.”

“But you run away with me,” she begged, joining her hands together.

“I have so many chores left…”

“Why wouldn’t you hit on a guard or something so he’ll do your work and I can take care of you? I want you to feel pretty! And also, I want to try new make up and I need a guinea pig.”

“It looks so nice!” Holst said. “I can come tonight and you help me be so pretty.”

“But now…”

“You know I have too much work, Hilda.”

“But… Brotheeeeeer!” she said, looking at him with puppy eyes.

“Oh… how to resist o such a pretty flower…”

“So we have f…”

“HOLST!!” Sylvain panted as he reached them. “You need to leave! Now!”

“Sylvain? What’s happening?” He got up and caressed his ear, the fur was so ruffled.

“Gloucester wants to kill you! He sent Miklan to kill you! Miklan will kill you!!!”

“What?” Hilda hiccupped.

“Miklan hasn’t the choice!” Sylvain quickly added. “It’s the collar…”

“And he lets you warn us?” the girl asked, tilting her head on the side.

Sylvain shook his head. “He told me not to tell anything but the collar doesn’t work on me anymore.”

“What? Why?” Holst asked.

Sylvain took his hand. “That’s not the first time… I think the collar just doesn’t work on me. Years ago, it stopped working and… it just started work again like yesterday and then…”

“The collar didn’t work and you stayed here?!” Hilda repeated. “That’s stupid! Why you…”

“For Miklan…” Holst whispered. “You wanted to stay with Miklan…”

“Yes, but you need to leave! Holst! Glenn is in slumber and if you kiss him, if he receives a true love kiss, he will wake up! You need to…”

“No. Glenn doesn’t need me.”

“Holst…”

“Sylvain,” he caressed his ear tenderly. “I will take care of your brother. I will try to break the collar. You will go to the inn with Hilda and… and I will try to come back.”

“Try?” Hilda repeated.

“Yes.” Holst pressed a kiss on her forehead. “I love you, Hilda. I love you so much… Always, forever…”

“Holst! But… But Glenn…”

“If I manage to break the collar, Miklan will take care of him and wake him up. Or me, perhaps! I hope! I would love being the first view of this pretty guy! But now go! I’ll take care of that. Sylvain, protect my sister. Hilda, protect my little fox.”

“Holst…”

“GO!” he commanded.

Sylvain pressed his lips together but took Hilda’s hand, making her come with him.

Holst swirled on his heels and he walked toward… he didn’t know. He just thought he will find Miklan soon enough. And if he didn’t find him, Miklan will find him

He looked assured but his heart was beating so fast in his chest.

“Holst…”

Oh damn. The voice was almost creepy.

“’Holst’? Will I be punished? Have I been naughty?” he asked, turning toward Miklan walking toward him.

“I will take your heart.”

“So sweet, but you already own it,” he said, linking his hands in his back and walking toward him.

“Holst…”

“I’d prefer you call me ‘Sunshine’, please,” Holst smiled.

The knife was shining in his hand. He watched him as Holst approached him. The blade moved in his fingers, rising.

“Holst...”

“’Sunshine’.”

Holst arrived close to him. Miklan grabbed his nape, the knife rising even more.

“Sunshine… please… Please, please…” Miklan begged.

“It’s fine, my bad boy.”

Holst moved his hands to pass it around the collar. He tried to break it with the strength of his hands only, the palms opening on the pick of it. The blood was sliding from the wounds but he didn’t care, just smiling to Miklan.

“It’s fine… It will be soon over,” he whispered.

“Sunshine… I can’t… I can’t resist…”

“It’s fine…”

Holst went on his tip toe to press their lips together tenderly. His hands forced on the collar, but it refused to break. He felt Miklan replying to the kiss, he felt the taste of something salty, irony…

“I’m so sorry…”

Holst hiccupped when he felt the blade enter in his flesh.

“It’s fine. I love you. This heart belongs to you… always has been…”

The collar broke and fell on the floor, blood falling with it.

“No! HOLST!!! No! No! No! NO!!!! Sunshine?! Please! Please!!!”

Miklan fell on his knees, holding him.

“Please… Sunshine…” he begged, tears crashing on his face. “Please… I… I love you too,” he whispered, pressing his face against his. “Please… stay with me. Stay with me… I can’t continue without you…”

He caressed his cheek, his big fingers sliding in the long pink hair.

“Sunshine…”


	13. Ephemera

“Sylvain! Please! Please! I don’t want to let my brother alone! He will get killed! And if your brother kills my brother…”

“He won’t… He could,” Sylvain whispered. “We can’t resist the spell of the collar. I kidnapped the one I love because of it… I don’t know what Holst is doing… What is he hoping?”

Sylvain’s hand was around Hilda’s.

“Sylvain! I wanna go save my brother! I will smash your brother if he tries to touch Holst!”

“What is he hoping?!” Sylvain asked. “What is he…”

“Holst is stronger than you think,” she said. “He can throw Miklan on the floor if he wants to. But… But I’m afraid he won’t because he loves him…”

Sylvain froze.

“It’s a yes?” she smiled.

“He is bleeding…” Sylvain whispered.

“What?!”

“Holst is bleeding. I’m almost sure it’s him.”

“Bring me to him!!!” she requested, not to say commanded.

Sylvain didn’t protest this time and they dashed to the blood’s source. Hilda was way tinnier than Sylvain but she did her best to follow his pace, her heels hitting hard on the floor.

They turned at a corridor and Hilda shrieked, dashing to her brother.

“HOLST!!! HOLST!!!”

She had let go of Sylvain’s hand. Sylvain who ran after her to crash next to him.

“It’s fine. He is still breathing,” Sylvain whispered.

“But…” Miklan replied.

The respiration was so low he couldn’t hear it, couldn’t smell life through him. He was so panicked… but especially, Holst had a knife standing in his chest, blood streaming from the wound.

He was alive but he was about to die…

It was just a matter of time.

“If someone heal him, perhaps?” Hilda hoped.

“Gloucester would know… He will track him until he’d die,” Miklan replied. “And no one can heal from that…”

“Someone can!” Hilda protested.

“Glenn could…” Miklan said. “His family always learned white magic… But he is… asleep?”

“But when Holst will kiss him…?” Sylvain hoped.

“Bring him to Glenn’s inn,” Miklan begged. “Do anything you can to save him. Ask anyone… Just… Just save him.”

“If you don’t carry him, I’ll carry him!” Hilda said.

“I’m on it, don’t worry,” Sylvain replied.

He took Holst from Miklan’s arms and got up. He then moved as fast and cautiously as he could. Hilda got up too, running after them.

Miklan got up, shivering with hate.

He walked outside the Mansion and even the courtyard. He walked in the forest, a clear idea in mind. As he moved in the forest, his body started to change. It seemed _so natural_ even though he hadn’t done it since years. His body shifted into a big fox and he dashed in the forest. Swift, fast… his body launched on a deer and a squeak later, blood spread on the mud.

Miklan dragged his prey to his clothes so he could shapeshift again, put them on and grabbed the knife at his belt. He had a few of them, in fact but when he watched at this one… He could see himself dug one in Holst’s body.

He killed Holst…

He killed Holst!

The knife was shivering in his fingers.

He forced himself to lean on the deer to open her chest and remove her heart. He could only see the images, again and again. Holst, the knife in his chest, not moving anymore. Holst…

Holst…

Please, made that he would survive…

Please…

Miklan stared the blood on his hands. There was so much more than for Holst. In fact, with Holst he had been so clean… and yet… yet he had the feeling of having _Holst_ ’s blood on his fingers…

He tried to calm himself. Breathed slowly. He had to make sure Gloucester wouldn’t run after Holst, would let him be…

He hoped Holst could wake up Glenn, that Glenn could heal him… and then, then he will find the way to destroy Sylvain’s collar and he would destroy Gloucester. He wanted him dead…

Miklan pushed up the collar of his clothes, hiding his throat, and then, the heart in hand, he walked back to the Mansion. Walked back to Gloucester’s room.

He knocked at the door, letting a scarlet mark on it.

He pushed the door open when he heard a groan. Walking toward his Master, he deeply bowed.

“You have it,” Gloucester whispered. “Was it easy?”

“Extremely easy…”

“Don’t be sad, Miklan. You will find another slattern. Now… cook this heart for me. I want to eat it…”

Miklan looked down at the heart.

If it had been Holst’s heart.

He felt nauseous and he heard Gloucester’s laugh.

“PLEASE HELP!!!”

Sylvain couldn’t help groaning when Hilda yelled. His fox ears just suffered so much. The shrilled sound…

Shit!

He realized he was still half shapeshifted and now that the collar’s magic didn’t work anymore, he let them vanish. Just when he entered the inn. The landlord arrived immediately but also Dedue and Ingrid. This one stopped in surprise in the middle of the stairs.

“Sylvain?”

He looked up.

He saw his old friends. He saw her green eyes circled with red. She had cried. She had cried so much…

“Where is Glenn?!” Sylvain asked.

“Gl… Glenn?” she repeated.

“Gl…enn…”

Hilda let out a happy sound. She dashed to Sylvain and leaned over her brother, taking his hand.

“Holst… we’re here… just… just a few seconds. He will save you. He will save you…”

“He can’t,” Ingrid hiccupped. “He is dead.”

“He isn’t,” Sylvain protested, walking to the stairs. “A true love kiss will awaken him.”

“But… a true love kiss?” Ingrid whispered. “No one can…”

“My brother was his boyfriend since two days!” Hilda said. “He is very good at loving!”

Dedue immediately came down, seeing the body in Sylvain’s arms and especially his difficulties to climb the steps up.

“Let me help you,” he said. “I am his Highness’ Vassal.”

“Thank you…”

Dedue gently took Holst in his arms.

“Be careful,” Hilda said, dashing after him. “They said Glenn will save him when he will have saved Glenn.”

Ingrid climbed the stairs and quickly came to the room the Fraldarius had used. Now, there only was a big glass coffin with Glenn inside of it and Dimitri whipping his tears away.

“Dimitri, they said this guy can wake up Glenn?” she explained.

“He is dead! No one can wake him up!”

“I don’t know,” she replied. “I just want to…”

Ingrid turned her head when she heard the door opening a bit more. Dedue walked in with Holst in his arms. Hilda ran to the coffin.

“It’s him?” she asked.

“Glenn…”

Sylvain’s eyes were widened and he was fighting against tears.

“Sylvain?” Dimitri whispered.

“It’s a long story,” he said. “Let them have access to Glenn…”

Hilda tried to open the glass and Ingrid came next to her to help her. You had to open it like a bread container. Except Glenn was far away from a bread.

“Be gentle,” Hilda begged to Dedue.

“Yes, Milady.”

Dedue helped Holst to be at Glenn’s lips reach.

“My love…” Holst whispered.

Under five pairs of eyes, he leaned and pressed their lips together.

“Please…” Hilda said under her breath.

But Glenn didn’t move.

“My love…?” Holst called. “Bu… but I love you…”

He hiccupped and blood tainted his lips. Hilda let out a scream and slid on the floor.

“Please… Please, save my brother. Please… please…”

“What should… what should we do?” Sylvain asked.

“Why have you said…” Ingrid started.

“A Magic Mirror said it was the solution and it never lies! But the problem isn’t there! Glenn is asleep, who cares if we wake him up now or in one month?! But Holst is about to die!” Sylvain roared.

“If Felix was there…” Dimitri said.

Sylvain said nothing. He had to find a way to save Felix and bringing Holst back there would be impossible. If he said what happened to Felix, he was afraid Dimitri would launch an attack on the Mansion and this would create too many casual deaths. He couldn’t allow that neither…

“Faerghus owns other mage! Better than Glenn, better than Felix!” Sylvain protested.

“Yes,” Dimitri replied. “We will bring him to Faerghus. I will send a message to father so he can send a mage to us. With such circumstances, Edelgard will understand we didn’t come.”

Sylvain vaguely nodded.

He looked at Holst and saw his hiccup, the tears along his cheeks. He came to him, taking his hand.

“Holst… Holst… you saved my brother… I’m sure you will save Glenn later.”

Holst hiccupped again, tears rolling from his closed eyes.

“Please, stay strong…”

“Milady, come with me, please,” Dedue said to Hilda. “We will install him in the carriage.”

“Yes!”

Sylvain stepped away as Hilda got up and walked after Dedue. Ingrid closed the glass coffin.

“Sylvain…” Dimitri whispered.

“I don’t come. Not now. It would be too dangerous. My Master believes he has win and this would let you enough time to save Holst. And for Glenn… make the whole Kingdom kisses him if you need so but wake him up!”

“But Felix…” Ingrid started.

“I will bring him back,” Sylvain stated with strength.

Hilda opened the door of the carriage and Dedue thanked her. He entered inside and laid Holst on the bench.

“Oh no,” Hilda whispered.

She started to remove her vest, wanting to make a cushion for his head.

“Please, Milady,” Dedue interrupted.

He removed his own jacket to install it under Holst’s head.

“Thank you…” she said under her breath.

She sat on the floor and pressed her head on his belly.

“I will bring you blankets and cushions,” Dedue said.

He deeply bowed and stepped outside the carriage. Hilda pressed her hands on her face.

“Please… Please Holst… don’t leave me. Not you… I can’t lose you… I’ll do chores, I’ll never complaint about everything yucky anymore if you stay. Please…”

Holst had a hiccup, a kind of giggle moved into a painful noise and he moved his hand to caress gently her head.

“Holst…”

He didn’t reply, his hand stopped moving.

“HOLST!”

Dedue entered the carriage again and he approached the body to press gently his fingers against the pale throat.

“He is still alive. He needs to rest, probably.”

“A… Alright…”

Dedue put a blanket around Hilda and installed a cushion on the floor, whispering ‘this is for you’, for her to sit on it when she will feel like she could. He spread a blanket on Holst, on the lower part of his body and a bit upper the waist so he would resist the coldness. And then, he moved away again, readying to leave the carriage.

“Please, Sir…” Hilda hiccupped. “Don’t leave me alone…”

Dedue was surprised but he nodded and came next to her. She moved a bit to pass the pillow under her ass and glanced at him with hope. The man sat next to her. He knew he should whisper some comforts words but he just didn’t know what to say… He could have said that everything would be alright but he wasn’t even sure about it. He didn’t want to give her false hope! So he just stayed next to her, without a word.


	14. Purlieu of life

“Felix! Felix! Lay down your hair that I can climb that tower!”

Sylvain! 

He came back! 

He was alive!

Felix felt so relieved and dashed at the window. No one could attest about that. No one could judge him. He was just _so relieved_ when he gathered his hair and threw them by the window.

A few seconds after, he felt someone, Sylvain certainly, tugging on them and clenched his teeth. Slowly breathing, he made sure to hold a part of his mane to loosen the horrible feeling.

He just wanted to see the red hair appear, wanted to see the little fox ears… He wanted to have good news in regard of Glenn but he especially wanted to see him. It felt… so wrong and so delicious at once.

After a moment, a too long moment, some fox ears appeared and he couldn’t help smile.

A smile he made sure to hide as soon as Sylvain’s head appeared.

The young man pushed a big basket covered with flowers on the sill then he climbed too, his claws creating more furrows on the old wood.

Felix tugged back his hair.

“Sorry,” Sylvain whispered.

“Are you saying sorry because you think I can’t lift you?”

“A bit? It must tug a lot on your poor skull…”

“It’s fine,” Felix replied.

Sylvain sat on the windowsill and looked at him, unable to find the perfect way to talk to him. To tell him… To…

“Glenn isn’t dead.”

“Oh my Goddess,” Felix whispered.

He walked toward him and sat by Sylvain’s side, relieve invading his face. He must feel it, and be embarrassed by his genuine and legit joy, because he pressed his hands on his face.

“He has been plunged in the depth of a magic slumber… And only a true love kiss can save him.”

“A true love kiss…” he repeated. “Glenn doesn’t love anyone… He used to love your brother but when you left… when you have been sold, I mean, it broke his heart.” Felix frowned. “Wait! That Holst you talked about…”

“He tried.”

“And so Gl…”

No. Glenn wasn’t saved because Sylvain wouldn’t have such a sad tone to announce all of this if Glenn was already saved.

“So that’s what I said to you. Glenn loves no one. Or… or that love wasn’t veritable. And no one can awake him,” Felix whispered.

“I’m sorry…”

“Can it be Miklan?”

Sylvain heard the hope in this word, in this gesture…

“It can? Miklan still loves him. And I think, Glenn…”

Sylvain didn’t want to believe Holst was just playing with Glenn. He knew him. He also knew he told him Glenn didn’t need him… perhaps because he believed in Miklan? Miklan would never believe in himself with such a thing while Holst always trusted the strength of his love because, according to himself, loving was what he was doing the best. Even though he could show love to anyone, he seemed to only show real love to only a handful of blessed people.

And Glenn seemed to be one of them.

Then why that kiss didn’t work? Because Glenn preferred Miklan? Because he didn’t know enough Holst?

“That man came,” Felix said.

Sylvain watched at him.

“Your Master…” He moved on the edge of the windowsill. “He told me I have to throw my hair by the window. It wasn’t you so I didn’t care and I refused to comply.”

“I’m both so proud and so worry for you,” Sylvain replied with a slight smile.

“I don’t fear that man. What can he do to me? He already took away my brother. He will come, try to tame me and I will kill him…”

“Do you have any weapon?” Sylvain asked.

“Don’t need it,” Felix replied. He looked down the tower. “Gravitation would be a decent weapon if my fists and feet aren’t enough.”

“I love your energy…” Sylvain smiled.

He pressed his fingers on the basket.

“I brought you food and flowers.”

“Flowers?” Felix repeated. “I don’t eat that,” he smirked.

“They are for your hair. I thought I could arrange them with flowers and ribbons, making it so pretty…”

Felix sighed, pressing his hands on the wood of the windowsill. He didn’t need to be pretty and he didn’t understand the need of people wanting that… But if he could feel more efficient, very well. This hair war too long and he couldn’t tie them by himself anyway.

“Though! Same problem: when you will leave…”

“I can shapeshift again,” Sylvain cut short. “I will jump on the roof and I will run across the Mansion until I find a way to come down. I can do that too, to enter… so if anyone asks you to lay down your hair, even with my voice, you will know it’s not me.”

“That’s a good idea,” Felix recognized. “If your Master comes in my room, I can fight him more easily with my hair tied.”

Sylvain nodded.

“He will certainly try to starve you. He did that with Miklan. I will bring you food.”

“I don’t need food,” Felix protested.

“I will bring you food,” Sylvain insisted. He leaned on the basket to take the comb there. “No matter what, don’t let him put a collar on your throat…”

“Why?” Felix asked.

“That’s what forces us to do what he wants. And prevent us to kill him. I’m… I’m pretty sure mine doesn’t work anymore and Hoslt broke Miklan’s but I need to find a way to save you. And if we kill Gloucester before I could save you, I…”

Felix passed his hands on the cheeks covered with freckles. He approached him, leaned toward him and his lips brushed his.

“Fe’…”

“I promised you a kiss, isn’t it?” Felix whispered. “Do you still desire it?”

“Yes… more than anything.”

Felix kissed him. Sylvain’s heart raced in his chest and he passed his arm around his tiny waist, bringing him a bit closer. He replied to his kiss. He was so happy to just… felt him, felt him in his arms, felt him against his chest, his heart beating as fast as his.

Four years…

Four years and he still would damn his soul for him…

“I’m so sorry,” Sylvain whispered.

“Why?” Felix asked, pressing his head against his shoulder.

“I never meant to leave you alone. I wanted to be with you, grow with you.”

Felix gently caressed his tail.

“It’s still time for that, Sylvain… Let me grow old with you.”

Sylvain pressed a kiss in his hair.

“I will… I will grow old with you. I will make you happy, every second… Every fucking second of my life will be dedicated to your happiness only.”

Felix snuggled in his arms.

A few seconds.

Seconds of delight…

“Please, undress yourself,” Felix said.

“Oh… Okay? It’s… fast! But… yeah! I de…”

“NO!” Felix shook his head, blushing as he pulled away. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean… I can heal you. I wanted to see the scars in your body and help you heal you…” Felix corrected.

“Oh! Yes. I’m sorry.”

“No, I am. I just… don’t think about that and didn’t think…”

“It’s fine,” Sylvain gently smiled. “I undress but then, I do your hair,” he said.

He got up and turned away so he wouldn’t make Felix uncomfortable.

“Also…”

“Yeah?” Felix asked.

“How it work for another kiss? Should I promise you to come back to get another kiss?”

He removed his shirt, hearing no replies. Damn… did he do something bad? Again? He was the worst!

“Sylvain…”

“Yeah?” he asked, turning toward him.

He felt Felix’s fingers on the wounds of his shoulders and then his lips against his lips. He groaned of delight and approached Felix from him, kissing him back. He could feel the magic inside of him, the fingers moving along his muscles to ease every wound, but he didn’t care. He only cared for the lips loving him like he wished it for so long…

The room was empty.

Hilda’s room only had the ugly wedding dress and he realized that coming to see it was less hurtful than coming back in _his_ room. The room where he had so often held Holst in his arms. And when he looked the empty bed, he saw again Gloucester eating that heart. It could have been Holst’s heart.

It was Holst’s heart in his mind because…

How could he have survived?

It wasn’t possible.

And now that Holst was dead, Glenn would never wake up. Only Holst and the strength, and the purity of his love could have saved him.

Rage filled Miklan’s heart. A growl came from the bottom of his throat and he grabbed the bed to throw him against the wall, yelling, barking of anger.

No, the bed wasn’t enough.

He wanted to break everything Holst eve touched. He wanted to break Gloucester’s neck!

And if it wasn’t for that damn collar on Sylvain’s throat, the collar he tried to break so often but never managed to… if it wasn’t for that collar, he would have kill Gloucester immediately!

But every second he will have to wait…

Every second would only fuel his rage and anger!

Two days later

In the carriage, Dedue was gently hugging Hilda. He almost hadn’t lost her side because she was just so devastated. Herself had barely moved, just holding Holst’s hand. Dedue would swear she had pressure sore on her legs and he really hopped he had seen wrongly. He hoped she was doing alright…

But he started to doubt it will be possible.

Her brother was becoming weaker, paler every second. Blood still streamed from his wound and his respiration was almost absent.

In a few hours, perhaps, it will be over…

How telling this to her?

How comforting her when it will happen?

“Your Highness?!”

The voice came from outside. Ingrid got up, taking care not to hit Hilda or Dedue. She has her lance in her hand and she leaned through the window she just opened.

“What?” she called.

“The carriage will stop. Someone with the King’s flag…” The man on the carriage hiccupped. “The King is coming!!!!” he warned.

“Gently stop!” Dimitri replied.

His father came to them. It might be a good new!!

“Yes!”

The carriage started to slow down and Ingrid closed the window. Only to open the window and jump from there, rolling in the cold grass. Dimitri got up to close the door but the carriage was already almost at a standstill.

“Your Majesty!” Ingrid shouted, dashing toward him.

He was holding the flag of the King and the reins of his horse. Behind him, there was Mercedes Von Hrym.

“Ingrid! I came as fast as I could!” he said.

He looked exhausted. How long had he ridden?! The horse seemed to be on the doors of death…

“Thank you,” she said. “It’s a long story… But there is this guy with a knife in the heart and we think…”

“I will do my best,” Mercedes said, jumping from the King’s horse.

She walked toward the carriage, stopped at a few paces from them, and she opened the door.

“Oh… I will need a bit of space,” she said, seeing everybody.

“Dedue, come with me,” Dimitri said.

He nodded and glanced at Hilda. His eyes were filled with tenderness and comprehension.

“Mercedes is a white mage, she will heal your brother. You both are in good hands with her. We come back soon,” he said.

She nodded and squeezed a bit more her brother’s hand. Dedue left with Dimitri and Mercedes approached the siblings with a gentle smile. She knelt next to Hilda and looked at Holst. She saw the knife, the blood.

“What happened exactly?” she asked.

“His boyfriend stabbed him!”

Mercedes looked at her with surprise.

“It’s a long story…” Hilda whispered. “Technically it’s not his fault but now I hate him. I hate him so much… if Holst dies…”

“I will do my best,” Mercedes swore, once again. “You will have to help me.”

“I’m ready!!”

Mercedes took a little flask at her belt and poured the liquid on her hands and then on Hilda’s.

“When I’ll remove the knife, you will press very hard on the wound. He might move but you have to hold.”

“I will!” Hilda swore. “We will save you, Holst…”

“Be ready…” Mercedes said.

“I’m ready…”

“Now!”

As the knife came out the wound, Holst let out a hiccup of pain and blood streamed. Hilda immediately pressed her palms on the wound, forbidding the blood to come outside. Holst moved under the agony seizing him, crying of pain.

Mercedes placed her hands above his wound. Magic came from her fingers, white cloud spreading all around. Blood stained Holst’s lips. Hilda starred at him with fear, pressing harder on the wound.

“Please,” she moaned.

The white stopped to spread.

The magic stopped to move from her fingers.

She leaned in and touched gently Hilda’s hands.

“Now it depends of him. He will need lot of rest and to eat something. I will see with the King if we can go to an inn nearby. But do you need anything?”

“Can Dedue come back?”

“I will ask him,” Mercedes gently said.

She pushed away a long strand of the long pink hair of the guy then got up. She walked outside of the carriage. Dimitri was talking with his father and explained everything, told him about Glenn, his coffin still on tip of the carriage. Mercedes approached Dedue to gently touch his shoulder.

“Dedue, the young girl would like to see you,” she said.

“Thank you. How is her brother?”

“He might survive but nothing is sure… I did everything I could but I leave it to the Goddess, now…”

“Thank you.”

Dedue bowed in front of her and entered in the carriage again. Hilda was crying, whipping away the sweat and the tears, spreading blood on her pretty face. He knelt next to her and gently took her in his arms.

“He has more chances, now.”

Hilda nodded.

The man retrieved a handkerchief to help her whipping away the blood.

“He needs rest… and a good meal.”

“I will cook for him as soon as I can,” Dedue swore.

She moved in his arms, snuggling.

“Thank you so much she whispered.”

The bed was empty. Desperately empty…

The soft smell of peach had disappeared. When he pressed his face in the cushions, every inch of Holst had disappeared. It was as if the Sun couldn’t wake up anymore.

No more Holst.

No more Glenn. Finding him again to lose him that fast. Just after the joy Glenn provided him, them, to tell him they could be together, the three of them.

But he wasn’t there anymore.

“Miklan?”

Miklan turned his head toward Sylvain, standing behind him. The young redhead felt quite uneasy because Miklan was filled with anger. It didn’t stop since two days. He understood but it reminded him the time before… when Miklan seemed to hate him.

“Come,” Sylvain said. “Come sleeping with me. You need rest…”

“I loved them… I really loved them… Why…” He closed his eyes. “Why I couldn’t…”

“It’s not too late for Glenn. Why… why do you think you can’t wake him up?”

“Have you seen what I’ve done to Holst?!”

“It wasn’t you!” Sylvain protested. “It was the collar. I… I did something awful with the collar too. Miklan I abducted Felix!”

“What?”

“He forced me to abduct Felix! He… he fell in the stairs while we fought. I wanted to hug him but I couldn’t… I had to bring him back. Gloucester locked him in a room and I don’t know what I should do! That’s because I abducted Felix that Glenn…”

Miklan moved toward him.

Sylvain immediately paced backward in fear. But Miklan grabbed his hand, forcing him to approach.

“I’m sorry!” Sylvain said.

He felt arms around him.

A hug.

Miklan was hugging him…

“I’m sorry, Sylvain. Where is he?”

“In the tallest tower of the Mansion. I think he used his magic to made him go there and… I don’t know how to help him go out.”

“Isn’t it a door?”

“I can’t find it. And I can’t go ask the mirror. Gloucester is…”

Gloucester was so angry since Hilda had disappeared. He wanted to marry her, making sure the Alliance would end up in his hands by wedding right. Hilda wasn’t dead and he knew that. She was a danger.

And his anger was so strong.

But not stronger than Miklan’s…

“Perhaps we can torture him,” Miklan groaned. “He would deserve it…”

“I just want to save Felix.”

“We will find a way,” Miklan swore, caressing his hair gently.


	15. By your side

“Lay down your hair!”

Lying on the bed, and getting himself very bored. Too bored. He had no weapon so he couldn’t train himself. Well… Sylvain had brought him a knife but he had mastered this long time ago. He could train. But train what? Fight the wind? There was no wind here. The smell was horrible and sometimes, it gave him nausea, to be honest…

How can a tower constantly open to the breeze could give you the feeling of being closeted?

The air was so cold, it was hard to breath and he wondered if there wasn’t a dead animal hidden somewhere. But… he already had trained in such condition so it wasn’t really that new and thrilling.

“Fraldarius! Lay down your hair!”

Felix stared the cellar.

He missed Glenn. He missed Sylvain…

And he hated this feeling in his chest.

Missing Glenn was normal! Damn, he couldn’t remember the last time they have been torn apart that long before? Since Rodrigue died, Glenn made sure to always been by his side and it didn’t pass one day without seeing each other, hugging each other and showing love to each other…

But Sylvain?

Of course he cared for Sylvain and he loved him so much that it still hurt now. But… But they saw each other like what? Seven hours ago? Eight perhaps? He still had the flowers and ribbons that Sylvain had put in his hair… He was still feeling… impossible to explain this. He liked them but it annoyed him. Glenn’s hairdressing were more efficient but those… those just remind him the past. When they were just children and Sylvain would always help him to arrange his hair, making them pretty.

And they really were pretty, raised in a big bun and what remained of it tied and filled with ribbons and flowers. He could move, he could swirl with his sword… Glenn was taking less time. But this had been made with love…

“Lay down your hair, Fraldarius!”

When Sylvain will come?

When Glenn will be awakened?

Will he even be awakened?

Felix heard sound and he moved his head at the window. Just on time to see a fox entering inside, a basket in his mouth.

“How cute,” Felix smirked.

He got up and approached him, kneeling by his side to caress his fur. The fox moved toward him, his head approached his and their forehead touched. Then the fox became a Human and their lips almost touched.

“Can I?” he whispered.

“Yes,” Felix replied under his breath.

Sylvain joined their lips, pressing their forehead together. Their hearts were beating at the same pace, playing a melody together…

“Hi,” Sylvain smiled when their lips tore apart.

“Hi,” Felix replied. He pinched his lips together. “You should put on your clothes…”

“Yes Sorry!”

Sylvain laughed and grabbed the clothes he had put on top of the basket and quickly passed them on his body. He couldn’t help smiling when he saw that Felix looked away.

“I brought you food and also… I talked with Miklan and we don’t know where the door is,” he explained.

“It’s fine. You should work on making him kiss my brother,” he said.

“Of course. We will try. We want Glenn to come back… I miss him too,” Sylvain whispered.

“He loves you very much.”

“It’s nice to know that.” Sylvain caressed the side of his thumb, tenderly. “But… But you need to leave. We need to run away and the only way to do that is by the window.”

“I can’t jump that and you can’t catch me back because such a fall would kill you!” Felix protested.

Sylvain nodded.

“You will have to wait a little more,” he said. “Because I thought I could bring you a piece of fabric every time I come. Little by little, we will be able to create a rope and you can use it to leave?”

“It’s a good idea.”

Sylvain pushed some food from the basket to give the fabric to Felix. It was more or less thirty centimeters long but they would need at least… fifteen, twenty like that. No, more. Fifty? Hundred?

He was fine with seeing Sylvain a hundred time.

He was fine with seeing him way more! Especially if it lasted after that, when they will be all free. When Glenn will be awaken.

“I didn’t know how much you wanted to eat so I…”

“I don’t want to eat,” Felix replied. He moved a little, approaching him to try snuggling on his arms. “Can I?” he asked, looking away.

“Yes, it always had been your place,” he smiled.

Felix snuggled in his arms, blushing a little.

“I… have a present for you?”

“A present?”

Sylvain moved a little his hair so he could hug him in a better way. He pressed a kiss in his neck with tenderness.

“Yes.”

“Is this a knife?! Dimitri offered a knife to Edelgard once and this would be your kind!” he laughed.

“I would only stab you with it!” Felix replied.

“You already did it,” he rectified. “Remember?”

“I’m sorry for that. I just wanted to…”

“No. That’s what I expected from you. I relieve believe you should have killed me. Should have protected Glenn that way…”

“Glenn will wake up,” he whispered. “But if you had died… I would have been distraught,” he whispered, looking away.

Sylvain kissed his cheek.

“But now you’re here…”

“In your arms?”

Felix moved his hair and untied a ribbon. Sylvain frowned when he saw him doing that but kissed his neck again, tenderly, lovingly.

“I didn’t know you could be dumb.”

“I think love is making you dumb and unfortunately, I have feelings for you, Sylvain…”

“My Felix…” he whispered. “If you knew how much I dreamed of you… Of holding you.”

“You hold me.”

“Yeah. Can I kiss you again?” Sylvain asked.

“Please…”

Sylvain leaned to kiss him. Felix replied to the kiss, squeezing the ribbon in his hands.

“Sylvain?” he whispered between two kisses.

“Yeah?” the man asked back.

“You won’t disappear, right? You won’t die? You…”

Sylvain could feel the emotion in his body. He pressed their forehead together.

“I stay with you, Felix. Always. I swore to you I will be by your side till…”

“I know,” Felix cut short, looking him in the eyes for once. “I know but… but you left. You disappeared… For four years, you weren’t there. It wasn’t your fault but…”

“Then I renew my promise. Felix Hugo Fraldarius, I love you. I want to be by your side, always. I won’t die before you die. I want to die with you because a life without you isn’t worth living it. And now, I know it even more than before. Without you, I don’t life, I survive in the hope of seeing you again so if Death is stealing me away this hope, I want to die with you…”

“You talk well, Sylvain…” Felix softly sighed. “I want to die by your side too. I want to be with you until my last breath. You don’t even know how much you are important to me. At least… as much as Glenn!”

“I feel honored,” Sylvain said under his breath.

He gently took his hand to kiss his knuckles with love and care.

“Why are you holding this ribbon that way?” Sylvain asked.

“It’s your present.”

“My present?” he repeated, surprised.

Felix nodded. “Can I tie it around your tail, perhaps?”

Sylvain couldn’t help smiling and he pressed their forehead together.

“Yes, please, my sweetheart…”

Sylvain’s tail waved and it moved to come around Felix’s waist. Which leaned over him and gently took the tail before tying the blue ribbon around it. He made a knot that wouldn’t unfasten but made sure not to hurt him. He threw a snicker to Sylvain when he made the bow and Sylvain leaned toward him, caressing his cheek.

“Can I tell you…”

Felix nodded. In his eyes, fear and joy were mixing.

“I love you…” Sylvain whispered.

“I…. Just promise me you will come back. You will always come back. Promise me…”

“I promise it to you, Fe’. I come back. Always. I will die holding you in my arms… Die with you,” he swore, caressing his cheek.

“You’re my last piece of hope. My last piece of sanity…”

Felix’s hand was twitching on the fluffy tail and Sylvain gently moved his hand over his to caress it. Intertwine their fingers.

“I’ll come back, Felix. I’ll come back. Always. I have no mean to be somewhere else but by your side…”

Felix stared at the floor and could feel the hand of Sylvain caressing his cheek.

Should he just say what his heart was yelling so hard in his brain, he could barely breath?

He should have told it to Glenn. He knew he was trying to protect him but what did it change? Nothing. Nothing because at the end of all of this, Glenn was dead. He was just _hoping_ that Miklan could be the solution. That Miklan could awaken his brother but he really thought it was over…

He should have told it to Glenn but he couldn’t.

The last person he told it to was Sylvain and he lost him. But he was there… Could he tell it to him?

Could it break the curse?

“I love you…” he said to the floor.

Sylvain smiled and kissed Felix’s lips, tenderly.

“I’ll be by your side, always…”


	16. The mirror always knows the truth...

Where was she?!

Where was he?!

WHERE WERE THEY?!

Gloucester was seized by anger. He couldn’t find Hilda, he couldn’t find Sylvain, that stupid Fraldarius refused to obey his orders and everything was slipping through his hands. He needed to be sure… He needed to be sure he could be put at the head of the Alliance without fear.

Fear?

No! He didn’t know fear!

He refused to know fear!

He will rule the Alliance.

It was his destiny.

Gloucester moved through the Mansion and when he saw Miklan, wandering without any goal, he called him.

Miklan turned his head toward him.

Without Holst, he didn’t know what to do anymore. Yes, for three years, he had work to do, he was a slave that had to reply to everything Gloucester might wish but this last year, his only purpose was to be by Hoslt’s side. And now… he didn’t know what to do with his time. He could do whatever he wanted but he didn’t know what he wanted to do. Especially because the only thing he craved was to kill Gloucester and if he did that, Sylvain would…

No…

He refused to lose Sylvain!

“Miklan! Come with me!” he commanded.

Miklan wanted to protest but he also needed to act as if he was still under the thrall of this master he hated.

So he just walked after him. Silent. Dreaming of forty-two ways to kill him.

They moved to Gloucester’s room and Miklan didn’t need a signal to know what will happen here. He growled and bit his palm, making stream blood…

“You’re a good dog,” the man smiled.

Miklan spread his blood on the mirror, staring at him.

What could he want?

If he asked anything too dangerous for his brother, he would attack him. Not kill him… But he could damage him enough to force him to stay still until he would find the way to save Sylvain…

He kept trying to discover what Holst did.

He told him he loved him? Should he go see Felix and beg him to confess his feelings to Sylvain?!

“Mirror, Mirror with golden frame tell me, tell me who is the mightiest one of all…” Gloucester asked to the mirror.

At those words, like always, blood and black swirled in a whirlwind that Miklan looked with hatred.

The voice of the Mirror echoed, seeming to vibrate in their brain…

“Looking through the vast World, I can tell you, you are very powerful, one of the mightiest perhaps. But Holst Prudentia Goneril is still the mightiest one of all…”

“HOLST?!” Gloucester yelled.

“Holst?” Miklan smiled.

He survived!

His arms on the glass coffin, Holst looked at Glenn’s face. He wanted to caress his face but he had the feeling he hadn’t the right to…

He had kissed him and he hadn’t waked up. He believed perhaps he was too tired, too on the edge of the death and so that was the reason why, as soon as he felt better, he went to kiss him again. Kiss him tenderly, with all his love.

And…

Nothing.

“Glenn… I love you,” he whispered. “Why don’t you wake up?”

He pressed his cheek against the glass, his fingertips twitching.

“Brother?”

He straightened a little, whipping away his tears with the heel of his palm and smiled to Hilda who walked toward him, her arm around Dedue’s arm. She never left his side since he stayed with her while that horrible journey. And it didn’t seem to annoy the man, in contrary. Holst just believed the man had taste because… any people with taste would be delighted to be by his sister’s side.

“You don’t feel better?” she asked.

“He hadn’t waked up… I love him. Do you think he doesn’t love me?” He bit his lower lip and shook his head. “The real question is how do you feel?”

“Better since you’re here. Alive.”

“I wasn’t dead,” Holst smiled.

“Don’t play with words! I will hit you! You mean!”

Holst held out his arms to her. She let go of Dedue and dashed to him and jumped in his arms. He laughed and hugged her tenderly.

“My brother…” she whispered.

“My sister, my Princess…”

“My Queen,” she replied. “I think he loved you. Any person not loving you is an idiot. He certainly loves you much or he is right to be there, in a coffin!!”

“Hilda…”

“He should treat you like a Queen!” Hilda protested.

Dedue watched at her with a light smile. She was so sparkling… He loved her energy and to be honest, he preferred to see her shining and smiling rather than crying, on the edge of her own death…

“But you know,” she said. “I was thinking… You love two people.”

“So you think I can’t love him enough to awake him?”

“No! I think you love two people and he loves two people too, isn’t it?”

“I suppose,” he replied.

“What if you need to be two to awaken him then?” she asked.

“Two to awaken him?” Holst repeated.

“Yes. Your love is uncomplete when you are alone. The true love is the three of you!”

“Yes…” Holst whispered. He looked at Dedue with a big smile. “Isn’t she so smart?!” he smiled.

“Milady Lady is absolutely smart and lovely.”

“She is perfection,” Holst said, smiling and hugging her.

“Ah! Like that, you look more like that ray of Sun I heard so much talking about!”

The siblings turned their head toward Lambert who walked with Dimitri and Ingrid. Dedue immediately approached the young Prince who shook his head.

“Stay with Hilda,” he said. “I know how much you like being with her.”

“Your Highness, you are too good,” Dedue replied.

“Not really. I just want you to be happy.”

Hilda hadn’t missed this conversation and she dashed to Dedue to grab his arm and smile to him, moving on her tiptop to kiss his cheek. But she wouldn’t have been able to do it if he hadn’t leaned toward her. She passed her arms around him and he lifted her. Holst had a smile, a bit sad because it was the first time he saw her flirt and he was afraid to see her walk away from him but also… he was so happy for her.

He turned his head toward the King.

“What do you mean, your Majesty? Glenn sent you letters about me?”

“No. Oswald did.” Lambert approached them. “As the ruler of the Alliance, we always talked through letters. Sometimes about more than politics. He told me about his adoptive son and his lovely adoptive daughter.” Lambert smiled to Hilda. “He told me how you were a run of Sun… Both of you actually.”

“I didn’t know…”

“I thought no one knew anymore,” Hilda said. “Gloucester didn’t want us to tell about the time we passed with Papa-Oswald. We couldn’t even say he had adopted us,” she whispered.

Dedue gently hugged her and she snuggled in his arms.

“I have a question,” Dimitri said. “We saw the state of Derdiu… Why having decided to leave it like that and go with Gloucester? You should take care of your people…”

“Gloucester didn’t take care of his people,” Holst said. “I tried, at first to tell him to do it but…”

“I begged him to stop. Gloucester was so mean with him. He kept beating him,” Hilda explained with horror.

“But you should have done it yourself,” Dimitri insisted.

“Beating him?!” Hilda hiccupped.

“Not you!!” the prince protested. “Him! You should have taken care of the Capital, of the Alliance yourself!”

“I wish,” Holst said. “But the truth is that Gloucester inherits it and…”

“What?” Lambert cut short.

“Gloucester takes care of the Kingdom because Oswald had no heir, since his son died and his daughter is missing…”

“But you are the heir of Oswald,” Lambert said.

“Excuse me?” Holst hiccupped.

“Holst the heir of the Alliance?” Hilda repeated.

Holst turned his head toward Glenn’s body.

“Yes,” Lambert swore. “He talked about it very often to me. He liked both of you and he entrusted you to take over the Alliance.”

“When Oswald died, he said he swore to Papa-Oswald to take care of us. And he was such a Monster with us. I just wanted to protect Hilda and sometimes I think, without her, Miklan and Sylvain…”

“Miklan and Sylvain…” Lambert repeated.

Holst nodded.

“He acted with us like we were parasite. He made us go through Hell… he hurt Glenn,” he whispered, caressing the Glass, “all of this because he wanted what I was supposed to inherit?” He groaned. “I could have accepted he hurt me, he torture me or treated me like he did. But touching my sister? Hurting the man I love?! I will make him pay… And I will get back my Miklan and baby Sylvain!!”


	17. And after...

If they had asked Sylvain what words he wanted to say until he would blow his last breath, a few days ago, he wouldn’t have been able to reply. But today… today, without the slightest hesitation he would say it was ‘I love you’, as long as he could say it to Felix and Felix only… He kept whispering it at his ear and he was so delighted to feel his body shivering in his arms every time. At first, he had been worried but it was before noticing his tender smile, his delight…

He believed Felix’s face was made for happiness but Felix certainly believed the contrary because he kept looking away, hiding his blushes, his smiles, his joy…

He wanted to make him happy.

Only.

He wanted to stay with him for the whole eternity.

Felix wanted to leave this tower and he couldn’t blame him. But on the other hand, he didn’t see any better place to be, being with him. Alone. Chilling. Loving each other… Was there a better place in earth than here? With Felix in his arms and allowed to land as much of kisses he wanted on his pale skin?

Why being somewhere?

Why wanted to do somewhere?

Time had no matter, time wasn’t anymore.

So… why suddenly, all his senses were screaming at him to come back to reality? Felix was his reality…

That smell crushing Felix’s scent…

Blood’s scent.

Blood?

Miklan’s blood…

“Felix?!”

“Yes?” he said.

“I’m sorry, I need to leave,” Sylvain said. “I will come back,” he wore before kissing him tenderly. “I love you…”

He turned into a fox, leaving his clothes there and his body jumping by the window, the ribbon waving in the breeze a little second.

“HOLST?!” Gloucester roared. “WHERE IS HE?!”

This time… this time he would kill him! He would make sure his life was over.

“You brought me back a Heart!” he yelled to Miklan, approaching him. “What was it?! WHAT WAS THE HEART?!”

Miklan smirked.

“A deer’s heart. And you saw nothing.”

The Mage moved his hand, wind suddenly cut and opened Miklan’s throat as he tore the clothes.

The collar.

The collar had disappeared!

“You…”

“Holst broke it. Holst is mightier than you and he will get back what belong to him… You just can shiver in fear, now, Gloucester,” he growled, moving toward him.

“What do you think this Messalina will do when he will discover you died? That his Glenn died! He would create his doom and while he will cry, I will slay him!” he smirked. “But first…”

Gloucester’s magic hissed as wind cut Miklan’s shoulder. The man smirked and jumped toward him. But it wasn’t a man who landed on him. It was a fox! A big fox with dark prints on his fur. A big fox so swift that his body dodged the wind about to cut him on the belly and landed on the man to bit him hard.

“If you kill me, your brother dies!!!” Gloucester yelled.

Miklan twitched with horror.

Sylvain…

He knew it but his hatred suddenly made him jump on Gloucester and now… now his fangs wanted more flesh, more blood!!

He wanted to tear him in little pieces.

He wanted…

Gloucester took advantage of his shock and threw a ball of fire in him. Miklan groaned and rolled on the floor, trying to stop the fire to spread on his fur. Gloucester let out a laugh and whispered a spell. A spell that changed the floor into ropes and snatched Miklan, forcing his paws, on the floor while he was still burning. The fire was licking his flesh.

“Now, it’s over…”

Miklan groaned, he moved his paws. The ropes were opening his flesh but he didn’t care. He had to move! Now!

The wind changed in Gloucester’s hand, becoming as sharp as a knife. And it suddenly left his palm to dash toward Miklan. Toward his throat.

The window broke suddenly and an orangish shadow crossed the room, landing between Miklan and the attack. Attack that entered in contact with the shadow, making it yelp of pain.

Sylvain?

Sylvain as a fox?

Sylvain as a fox with blood coming from his face?

Sylvain… dead?

He dared to touch his brother? Hurt his brother? Kill his brother? Miklan’s body was shaking with anger. His paws were changing and it seemed that the flames had reached his flesh because, as he moved, growling, bones appeared. His whole body changed, his whole body was growing and his eyes hollowed, starting to gleam red. Peaks were appearing and his fangs, his claws were becoming so big.

Gloucester shook.

How… How was it possible?!

Blood still streamed from Miklan but it was dark, thick, viscous…

Disgusting.

Growl came from Miklan’s mouth and he dashed toward Gloucester, jumping above Sylvain, lying on the floor.

“No!” Gloucester yelled.

He made wind come from his hands, throwing it toward the Monster. The Monster that kept walking toward him. As if the wind wasn’t disturbing him at all…

Miklan’s claws dug violently in the floor and he moved suddenly, grabbing the man and gulped him whole.

And…

It was over.

Four years of pain.

Over…

He was dead.

He was dead and it was over… they were free. But… But Sylvain was dead…

He heard a yelp and turned toward the little fox. The fox was moving, moaning and yelping but moving.

Sylvain?!

The Monster dashed to him, huge acid tears sliding along his bony and scaly body and he leaned over him, rubbing his face against him.

“S… Stop! Stop!” Sylvain laughed. “Don’t impale me… please… Is it over?”

Miklan replied but only growl, making shiver the wall, echoed in the room. He could understand Sylvain because he always had been half-fox and it was natural for him. but those growls, that language.

“I guess it’s yes?”

Sylvain let out a cuss. It hurt… It hurt so much. And…

“It seemed cool, too bad I couldn’t see shit,” he laughed.

And coughed.

He seemed alright? But in shock and his eyes were bleeding.

Miklan whispered his name and his breath let out a pestilent smell, the wind coming from his mouth making fly things around.

Sylvain hiccupped when Miklan’s paw landed on him to keep him on place.

“I’m fine…” he said when the whisper came again.

Shit.

“Can… can you shapesh…”

Miklan groaned.

He couldn’t?!

Sylvain shivered. Could _he?_ He tried to shapeshift, becoming Human again. But it would ask his face, his eyes to change, to move, and it made him yell of pain.

Miklan groaned his name and Sylvain hiccupped again.

“It’s fine… I just… My life sucks!” he started to cry.

Miklan moaned his name, snuggling against him and almost impaling him.

“I can’t see how pretty Felix is anymore!!!”

Miklan groaned and pressed his paw on him.

“Stop! Stop!!! Help!!”

The Monster groaned but more friendly and he lied next to Sylvain, snuggling with him. He said something but Sylvain couldn’t hear what. He seemed to have a very soft and tender tone, though, so Miklan shouldn’t be that angry against him? He hoped so at least…

Miklan moved his head, rubbing it against Sylvain and almost impaling him. Sylvain couldn’t see it and fortunately! Because if he could see how gigantic and frightening his brother was…

And now… now what should they do?

Sylvain had the feeling it wasn’t bleeding anymore but he was shaking. He was laughing about it but… he truly was distraught at the idea that he would never see Felix again. He loved him for himself but he also loved his features… He could learn to adore his face just touching it but… could he become human again?

He swore to Felix he would come back.

He couldn’t just stay as a fox for always…

And what about Miklan? Miklan was a Monster, he could sense it, because of him? Because he wanted to protect him?

He felt even more love for him…

But…

But what now?

What now…?

Sylvain had a million questions but Miklan couldn’t reply to it. He couldn’t ask ‘why did you do that?’, ‘where do we go?’, ‘what will happen now?’…

For those four years, he knew his brother had a desire… He knew his brother wanted to kill their father for what he did to them. Was it what he will do from now on? Will he even be Human again?

Will he ever see Felix again?

Could he tell his brother he needed to see… be with him again.

Even as a fox.

He just needed to snuggle against him. Not leaving him alone.

Never.

Miklan moved away and Sylvain wanted to beg him to stay with him. But he couldn’t… Miklan knew the collar had broken and that he had lied to him. Perhaps it was the reason he was stepping away. Perhaps he had understood he would have saved them way earlier without his caprice? Perhaps he could have been more free, less tortured if he had been allowed to send him away. Perhaps he hated him because Glenn would have taken care of him and he would never have been asleep with no one who could wake him up…

Because if Miklan could save him…

Could he still save him being… like that?

He wanted to whisper his name, beg…

He felt a big mouth around his neck and shivered. Until the claws closed around his skin, so gently, and he felt lifted. He felt the Monster moving away and he just let him drag him around.

“Are you momming me?” he smirked.

Miklan groaned, walking through the corridors. His heavy body was making shiver the wall as the scales were scrapping it, throwing some bricks on the floor. His claws created deep holes in the floor.

He walked toward the exit.

And Sylvain couldn’t know what was happening…

Wait… what was this smell?

This smell of blood. Not his blood, not Miklan’s strange blood. It was something more normal? With a low amount of sweet in it.

“WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!”

Felix?

“I will destroy you,” Felix hissed.

The second after, Felix’s smell filled Sylvain’s nose and he could feel him attack Miklan. The sound of his knife scraping against Miklan’s bones and scales.

“Felix!”

“Sylvain… LET GO OF HIM, MONSTER!”

Sylvain didn’t know what happened. He felt the smell stronger, felt Miklan moving, heard him growl and heard the sound of someone falling on the floor. Heard Felix growling. He… he had fallen? No… Miklan had thrown him on the floor.

“Leave him! Leave him it’s Felix!!!” he protested.

Miklan let go of his brother, growling, and moved on the side.

Sylvain felt something on him, tugging him against his chest. Felix…

“I got you, Sylvain. He won’t touch you.”

“Felix…”

The young man hugged him and seemed to get up. His smell was enthralling and Sylvain snuggled against him. Sylvain realized he was covered with blood, he had the stench of Miklan’s breath around him. And he didn’t move because he saw nothing…

He felt something wet on his eyes.

Felix was crying?

“Yeah, step away!” he roared.

Miklan growled.

“Leave him…” Sylvain whispered.

“Stay away,” Feliw groaned.

Tears kept falling on his eyes.

Sylvain’s lids moved, swooning. He could see spots. Spots of colors.

“Felix…”

Sylvain started to shapeshift. He let out a yelp, a scream and Miklan growled. Sylvain managed to come back to his Human form.

“S… Sylvain!”

Felix felt relieved and he wiped away his tears of relieve, anger and fear.

Sylvain leaned over him, pressing their forehead together. And as droplets touched his eyes, he started to see him so well. He caressed his cheek and smiled.

“Felix… How… how have you managed to come?”

“I couldn’t leave the tower,” he said. “I couldn’t leave the tower but you can go through it probably because you’re a fox. And suddenly, I… as I was trying to get outside, I just managed to do it. I tripped and managed to put stab the wall just on time. Then I climbed down the tower…”

Sylvain noticed then the hands covered with deep wounds.

“Fe’…”

“I’m fine… I thought you were…”

“It’s Miklan! He was carrying me because I jumped to protect him and I was blind… But you… You brought back light in me… I can see you and my life stopped sucking because I love you.”

“I decided I will come searching you if you didn’t come back. I won’t let you leave me,” he said. “Unless that’s what you w…”

“Never!” Sylvain protested. “Never… You’re my life. I love you. I love you so much…”

Miklan groaned.

Sylvain turned his head toward his brother and he realized two things obvious at once: Miklan was still a Monster and he was all naked. Naked and snuggling in his lover’s arms. It didn’t mean to annoy Felix though and he was gently hugging him, but killing him with his eyes.

“Do you think you can shift him back?” Sylvain asked.

He couldn’t talk with Miklan and he hated that but that didn’t change that he certainly couldn’t shapeshift himself or he would have done it already…

Felix shook his head.

“I can heal. That’s all I can do. Unless he is hurt…”

Sylvain turned his head toward Miklan. Which groaned and walked forward. Felix noticed the thick liquid coming from his throat and he got up, Sylvain sliding on the floor. If he had shapeshift, he was still having his fluffy tail and his ears, those moving slightly as he watched his Felix approaching his brother.

“You will awaken my brother?” Felix asked.

Miklan looked down.

“He needs a true love kiss!” Felix insisted.

The Monster slowly nodded. And then shook his head.

“You don’t want to save him?!”

“He doesn’t think he can save him because he doesn’t think his love is enough…” Sylvain whispered. “And yet… I’m almost sure it’s thanks of you, of what you were ready to do for me that my collar broke… You can love.”

Miklan groaned.

“You can try,” Sylvain insisted.

Felix moved his hands, energy coming from his palms and dashing to the wound at Miklan’s throat, slowly closing it.

Sylvain watched his brother when Felix moved away.

But Miklan didn’t shapeshift…

“Fuck…” Sylvain groaned. “What should we do now?”

“Can you bring us to Glenn?” Felix asked.

Miklan nodded, his claws digging deep furrows in the floor.


	18. Happily ever after?

“Sir Goneril?”

Holst pushed open the sheet covering his tent, stepping outside. Wearing huge armored pink gold thigh boots holding in place thanks to a scaled garter belt above a red short and with that, a red top that was almost covering nothing, having such a deep cleavage and the abs showing. He was wearing transparent sleeves holding in place with gold features. And he had cut his hair to the chin level, having only kept a strand he had braided. He was holding an axe in his back and he was more than ready to go save the Realm…

At the entry of the tent, Lambert was gently smiling to him.

“Are you ready? We will leave.”

“Yes. I just need to be sure my sister won’t risk anything.”

“We asked Mercedes to come back to the Capital with her,” Lambert said.

“Perfect then…”

Holst walked outside the tent and moved toward the glass coffin. He caressed it and gently opened it to kiss Glenn’s lips.

Still nothing.

He caressed gently his cheek.

He will be send with Hilda and Mercedes at Fhirdiad.

“Holst!!”

Holst smiled to Hilda who ran toward him. He closed the coffin with tenderness and grabbed his sister to hug her.

“Stay cautious,” she said.

“Don’t worry… I will make the Alliance better, like in time of papa-Oswald. And when you come back, everything will be perfect. And I will buy you as much dress and jewels as you want!”

“Naaaaa, you will buy me stuff so I can do it myself! And I will make you beautiful clothes too!”

“Thank you!”

“I love you, Holst,” she said, snuggling in his arms.

He hugged her a bit more. “I love you so much,” he swore back.

The ground started to shake. Holst frowned. He heard sound around, people getting worry.

“A monster!” someone yelled.

Holst frowned and pushed Hilda behind him. He heard someone approaching him and he pushed slightly Hilda toward the one that was coming toward them: Dedue.

He trusted him to take care of his sister.

Then, Holst moved toward said Monster. Lambert was also walking toward it, a big lance in his hand.

“You shouldn’t go in front of the Monster incoming,” Holst said. “You are the King, they don’t want to lose you.”

“Ah, perhaps, but you are the Duke that will take over the Alliance,” Lambert replied.

“So we are two idiots,” Holst smiled to him.

The King smiled back to him.

Holst looked away, in the distance. He stared at the bony silhouette appearing. And Holst had a hiccup. Lambert moved his spear to throw it on the Monster. Monster that was approaching really fast…

As the big creature approached, making shiver even more the ground, Dimitri and Ingrid came by their side. Dedue would certainly have to if he wasn’t taking care of Hilda who had her arms around him.

As the strange animal, the Monster, grew closer, he also slowed down. Lambert smiled…

“Be ready!” he commanded. “One…”

The Beast slowed down, his big shining eyes landing on Holst.

“Two…”

Holst had a hiccup.

“Wait! Don’t do that!” he said.

Lambert hadn’t the time to say ‘what?’ that Holst dashed toward the Monster. But his axe had fallen on the floor.

The creature stopped and Holst pressed his cheek against the Beast that was letting him do, also rubbing itself against him.

“Miklan… Miklan, it’s you, right?” Holst whispered.

“It’s him but how do you know?” Sylvain laughed, jumping from his back.

“I just know, it’s love!” Holst replied.

He pressed a kiss on the bony nose then dashed toward Sylvain to hug him. His baby fox had put on some clothes quickly but he still had his tail, adorned with a ribbon, waving of joy. Sylvain hugged him back with tenderness.

“Holst… Holst I can’t believe you’re alive.”

“I am. Your brother made me die to often for death to come take me that easy!”

“I love you and I hate you,” Sylvain smiled.

He stepped away, squeezed his hand and approached Felix that was jumping from Miklan’s back.

“Are you… Are you Felix?” Holst asked to the young Fraldarius as Sylvain accompanied him.

Felix glanced at him.

“This is Holst,” Sylvain introduced.

Felix didn’t reply. “Where is my brother?”

His voice held sad sobs…

“Felix!”

Lambert walked toward him. He held out his hand to him to invite him to Glenn. The young man didn’t even thank him and followed him to the glass coffin. When he saw it, he just started to shiver. He couldn’t stand it.

Glenn…

He wanted to yell at Holst because he hadn’t saved his brother. He wanted to yell at Miklan because he got the good idea of becoming a Monster that couldn’t shift back and yes it was to protect Sylvain and he should thank him but… But Glenn was there, in a glass coffin.

It looked like he was sleeping and according to Sylvain, he was really sleeping but… it will be an endless sleep…

Sleeping for the eternity because… no one loved him enough? Truly? Because… curse, destiny decided it was over.

He had to die and Fate said so.

He pushed open the glass coffin, his fingers twitching.

“You promised me you would never die!!” he hiccupped, laying over him.

He hugged him, his tears rolling on him.

“You promised me you would never die! You lied! You lied!!! You promised…”

“Felix.” Sylvain came to him and gently touched his shoulders. “Don’t do that to you. Come…”

“No! No, I want to stay with him. He promised me… He promised me…”

“Huuush,” he said, taking him in his arms.

“NO!!” He turned his head toward Holst and Miklan. “Wake him up! Wake him up!!”

“I can’t!” Holst said. “I swear, I want but… Hilda thinks perhaps if Miklan and I kiss him together…”

“Then kiss him!” Felix commanded.

“Like that?” Lambert whispered.

“I don’t think Glenn would mind…” Dimitri replied.

“Okay,” Holst said. He looked at Miklan who nodded slightly even though there was doubt in his eyes. “We will do it.”

Felix turned his head toward Glenn and leaned to kiss his forehead.

“Please…” he whispered.

He let Sylvain brought him a bit away, letting room for the big Monster.

Felix struggled not to fight against the need to stay with his brother. He felt fingers along his and sniffed, almost crying… almost crying more because he was actually already crying, his weakness showing through the tears rolling along his cheeks…

The fingers gently tugged on him.

“Felix…”

Felix turned his head.

“Why are… you crying?”

Felix moved away from Sylvain and jumped in Glenn’s arms.

“You promised you wouldn’t die!!!!”

“And what… I’m not dead,” Glenn smiled.

“I hate you!” Felix cried.

Glenn caressed his hair tenderly.

“I love you…”

“I love you too…”

“Where is my baby brother?” Glenn asked with an outraged tone.

But this time, he was sure it was Felix despite the ‘I love you’, because of the tone, the cries, and that kiss that woke him up.

“Never leave me again, Glenn.”

“Never,” Glenn swore.

He pressed a kiss on his forehead. And then looking on the side, he smiled.

“Sylvain…”

“Glenn,” he smiled back. “I missed you so much.”

“Me too.”

Glenn looked the coffin he was in and frowned. Holst approached, holding out his hand to him to help him to come outside. Glenn watched at him with surprise and the smile immediately ravished him.

“Holst?”

“Yes.”

“You changed so much…” he whispered.

“Hm! I was ready to go fight but the fun seems to have been removed from me. So I went all pretty for nothing and now, I’m sad and I need a hug,” he smiled, holding out his arms to Glenn.

“A hug?” Sylvain smirked.

“Hush,” Holst replied as Glenn hugged him. “I love you,” he whispered to him.

Glenn hugged him back. It was fast and quite unsettling. But he also loved to hear that.

“I think I love you too,” Glenn said in the hollow of his ear.

Holst smiled and gently kissed him. Glenn replied to it, his heart hammering.

“And what about Miklan?” Sylvain asked.

“He does need to receive a kiss,” Holst approved.

Glenn looked at the Monster that stared at them.

“I meant ‘he is still a Monster’ but… yeah I guess he deserves a kiss too,” Sylvain replied.

“Glenn,” Holst smiled. “Would you make me the honor to kiss him with me?! I think he deserves a lot of kisses.”

“Sure,” Glenn said. “Sylvain, can I entrust you my brother?”

“Yes!”

Sylvain gently took his lover in his arms, pressing their forehead together. Felix let him do and even discretely snuggled against him.

Glenn and Holst approached Miklan that groaned, feeling a bit uneasy but… finally approached them, accepting the kiss to come. They both kissed him on the side of his mouth. He closed his eyes as they did. Not out of hate but because he couldn’t believe they would kiss such a Monster.

And…

His body shrieked, finding back his skin and all his scars with it. Glenn immediately removed the cape they have put on him, because it was mire knightly probably, and came to him to wrap him in it.

“Oh, come on, Glenn! You not funny!” Holst protested.

“Idiot!” Miklan groaned. He grabbed him by the wrist and made him sit on his lap, kissing him with passion. “Do you know how much I love you?” he whispered.

“Now, I know it,” Holst replied, snuggling in his arms.

Miklan looked up at Glenn and gently took his hand, pressing his lips on his hand.

“And…”

“I never stopped loving you,” Glenn said, kneeling by his side. “Never. You deserve to be loved… You’re the only one who can’t see it,” he sighed.

“Sorry,” Miklan said, hugging him back. “I love you.”

Glenn nestled against him and gently caressed Holst’s hand who held it and leaned to kiss him.


End file.
